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About the Participants

Klaas de Vries
Klaas de Vries is a member of the Dutch House of Representatives and a member of the Social Democratic Group (PvdA). He serves on the Committee of Justice and the Committee for Interior and Kingdom Relations.

Mr. de Vries served as Minister for Interior Affairs and Kingdom Relations from 2000 to 2002. He was Minister for Social Affairs and Employment in the second cabinet of Prime Minister Kok (1998–2000). From 1996 to 1998, Mr. de Vries was chairman of the Social and Economic Council of the Netherlands. From 1988 to 1996, he was chief executive director of the Association of Dutch Municipalities and served on the board of the International Union of Local Authorities.

Mr. de Vries began his career as a civil servant at the Ministry of Justice in The Hague (1968–1971). From 1970 to 1971, he was a member of the city council of Delft. In 1973 Mr. de Vries was elected for the first time to the Dutch House of Representatives as a member of the Social Democratic Group. At that time he served as chairman of the Defense Committee and as a member of the Committees for Home Affairs and for Justice. Mr. de Vries was a long-time member of the North Atlantic Assembly and served in that body as general rapporteur of the Military Committee. He testified for Congress on the ratification of the Salt II Treaty.

Mr. de Vries also served in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Western European Union and the Council of Europe. He left Parliament in 1988, when he was appointed CEO of the Association of Dutch Municipalities.

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