1. The Technological Working Group (TWG) met at 4.30 pm on Tuesday 13 January. The object of the meeting was to consider the future role of the Group and to consider ways of improving the APPF website.
2. The following countries attended: Australia, Cambodia, Canada, China, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Thailand and Vietnam.
3. Ms Jann McFarlane from Australia was confirmed as Chair and Professor Yamanouchi from Japan was adviser to the meeting
4. The meeting commenced with delegates reading the report of the Technological Working Group meeting in Kuala Lumpur in 2003. It was agreed that a report of the 2004 meeting would be made to the plenary on 14 January and that the report should be part of the Joint Communiqué.
5. A draft mission statement of the TWG was distributed. The TWG adviser explained aspects of the statement and showed delegates the contents of the website on his laptop. He noted that several countries did not have the correct link on the APPF website to their home parliament sites.
6. The TWG has met at each annual meeting of the APPF for at least eight years. Its focus has changed over that time from an emphasis on legislative exchanges to the potential use of the APPF website to provide access to information about the work of the APPF. The role of the APPF TWG as a legislative exchange link has, to a large extent, been taken over by the Internet.
7. The statement was discussed in detail and with amendments, was adopted as a summary of the functions of the TWG. The Working Group hopes that the statement will be particularly useful to host countries as they establish a website for the annual meeting. A copy is attached.
8. The meeting addressed the issue of hosting the general APPF website. This website has been hosted by Peru from 1999 to the present (with a gap of more than a year during which the website was not updated). The meeting expressed its appreciation of the great contribution made by Peru to this important APPF service. The website has been the means by which the work of the APPF is publicized and made available to member parliaments and others interested in the subject matter of the Forum. It was agreed that the Chair of the TWG should write to the Peru Parliament to express the gratitude of the group.
9. A resolution was passed in 2003 to the effect that each annual meeting would confirm which country would host the general APPF website until the next annual meeting. Peru has again offered to take on this role and the offer was gratefully accepted by the meeting.
10. The host of each annual meeting also establishes a website for the annual meeting. There is a link to the general APPF website as well as information about the arrangements for the annual meeting. The meeting agreed that it would be useful if each annual meeting website could be established by the August preceding the annual meeting. Host countries needing advice on their annual meeting websites will be assisted by the TWG adviser.
11. The TWG will meet again during the 13th APPF annual meeting in Hanoi.

Mission Statement of the Technological Working Group (TWG)

BACKGROUND:

The Technological Working Group of the APPF has taken responsibility during past APPF meetings to ensure the website is modern, accessible and up to date and that there is a mechanism for member countries to promote the work of the APPF resolutions and to have a point of communication. As well, the website is important for the general promotion of the work and efforts of the APPF.

At this, the 12th meeting of the APPF we propose:

1. that the APPF continue to have a website that is accessible, timely and contains the material of past APPF meetings;
2. the website is increasingly important for communication and administrative purposes, including TWG activities;
3. that the host country for an APPF meeting may create a website for the purposes of informing member countries about the APPF meeting they are hosting and for holding the material of the APPF meeting that they host. The host country should establish the website in August of the year preceding the annual meeting and maintain it until the April following the annual meeting
4. the procedures for host countries should be clearly laid out; including their responsibility for promoting the APPF meeting they are hosting and the updating of their website after the meeting they host, and the transmission of this material to the member country hosting the APPF website and to the TWG, along with responding to any inquiries;
5. confirmation of the person responsible for web content from the member country hosting the next APPF meeting should be provided to the member country who hosts the APPF website and to the TWG i.e. Vietnam to inform Peru and Dr Y Yamanouchi;
6. the responsible person to hand-over materials from the 12th meeting held in Beijing to Peru: appf(S)congreso.gob.pe. Mr Juan Gotelli, APPF Website Administrator, Peruvian Congress. TWG vwnch@max.hi-ho.ne.jp Dr Yasuhide Yamanouchi, Technology Advisor, Japanese Delegation;
7. the TWG encourages all member countries to do the following relating to the Internet activities of the APPF:

   7.1 Check the link of the Parliament's website (Home page) of your country from;
   www.appf.org.pe. If the link is not correct please inform Peru and Dr Yamanouchi of the correct URL.

   7.2 Setting up of an APPF website for your country in your language: while materials need to be translated it should contribute to the promotion of the APPF in each cou