Conservative Parties Hosted at IRI

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 17, 2006

Washington, D.C. --The International Republican Institute (IRI) hosted the executive meeting of the International Democrat Union (IDU) today, chaired by Prime Minister John Howard of Australia's Liberal Party. The executive meeting ended three days of IDU sessions in which party representatives from all over the world gathered to discuss democracy building and challenges facing their regions.

Party representatives from Australia, Austria, Bolivia, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Republic of China, Croatia, El Salvador, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Honduras, Mongolia, Mozambique, Norway, Russia, Serbia and Montenegro, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Tanzania, the United Kingdom and the United States, in addition to guests from Belarus, Guatemala, Mexico and Venezuela, attended the meeting.

During the week, members heard from Anatoly Lebedko, leader of the United Civil Party in Belarus, who recently met with Vice President Dick Cheney in Lithuania, and Alaksiej Janukievic, deputy leader of the Belarusian Popular Front. Lebedko, who has been imprisoned and beaten for his work advancing democracy in Belarus, briefed participants on the recent presidential elections, which were stolen by incumbent president, Alexander Lukashenko. The IDU unanimously passed a resolution condemning the Belarusian government's actions against peaceful protesters of the March 19 election and called for the immediate release of political prisoners and an independent inquiry into the disappearances of opposition politicians.

The IDU meetings also included a special session on the challenges to democracy from populism in Latin America, and an address by Republican National Chairman Ken Mehlman on the importance of promoting democracy and freedom in the world.

In addition to Prime Minister Howard, former Salvadoran President Armando Calderón Sol, former Mongolian Prime Minister Tsakhia Elbegdorj and former Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe also attended the meeting.

The IDU is a working association of more than 80 Conservative, Christian Democrat and like-minded political parties of the center and center right. Formed in 1983, the IDU provides a forum in which member parties come together and exchange views on matters of policy and organizational interest, so that they can learn from each other, act together, establish contacts and speak with one strong voice to promote democracy and center-right policies around the globe.

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