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Committee on Foreign Affairs

Traditionally, the Foreign Affairs Committee is one of the largest committees - in the current electoral term it has 37 members. Its primary task is not to consider draft legislation but to exercise parliamentary control over the Federal Government's foreign policy. Quite often, debates on foreign policy take place in the Foreign Affairs Committee, whose meetings are not open to the public, rather than in the plenary chamber. The Committee can declare items of business confidential or secret so as to be able to discuss them without regard for reactions abroad. The bills referred directly to the Foreign Affairs Committee are mostly drafts of laws ratifying important treaties with other states.

For some time, it has been standard practice for the Foreign Affairs Committee to establish permanent subcommittees. In the 15th electoral term (2002-2004) it has set up subcommittees on:

• disarmament, arms control and non-proliferation;
• the United Nations and international organizations;
• globalization/regionalization.