The Hague, 03 December 2007 – The UNPO Secretariat in The Hague played host to the Third Session of the UNPO Presidency on 30 November and 01 December 2007. Presided over by UNPO President Mr. Ledum Mitee (Ogoni) the meeting brought together UNPO Presidency Members from all corners of the globe, including those elected Members from Abkhazia, Ahwazi, East Turkestan, Khmer Krom, Mapuche, Scania, Taiwan, Tibet and Zanzibar.  

The UNPO Presidency meets several times every year, providing an essential element of continuity between the full assemblies of UNPO Members, and is mandated to supervise and assist in the implementation of the overall policy of the organization as articulated at the meetings of the General Assembly.

The agenda of the meeting covered a wide array of issues, including the review of membership status of several UNPO Members, revisions to the preamble of the UNPO Covenant, possible thematic topics for 2008 and the upcoming UNPO IX General Assembly to be held Spring 2008.

Discussions surrounding the preamble of the UNPO Covenant, the section of the UNPO Covenant which captures the essence and elemental foundations of the organization, focused on emphasizing self-determination as a broad conceptual topic, rather than as the widely held perception of self-determination as a desire for independence.

Following discussions of possible thematic avenues, the UNPO Presidency resolved to make the support of the democracy movement in Burma and the integral role of ethnic minorities therein the thematic focus of the organization in 2008. The necessity of Burmese ethnic minorities to play an essential role in the current movement for popular nonviolent change in the country was stressed.

As a wider initiative, 2008 marks the 60^th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and it was emphasised that UNPO must continue its work in upholding this Declaration and ensuring it remains applicable to all people of the world, including the unrepresented.

In a warmly welcome move, Presidency Members, led by Tibet, emphasized their standing commitment to UNPO and its principles. While the mission of UNPO undoubtedly poses a major and difficult challenge, it is exactly this challenge, in addition to the ambition, virtue and energy behind it that compels UNPO Members to play and integral part in UNPO. Importantly noted, the relationship between UNPO Members and the organization is not a one-sided affair. Instead, the relations fostered provide exceptional opportunities for cooperation and mutual support.