i. The PU had a unique mandate and expertise in the promotion of democracy and rule of law both at national and international level. ii. The IPU was increasingly working at country level in close cooperation with states represented by governments therefore the legal basis will confer on the IPU the authority to fully engage with governments. iii. The IPU had extended its democracy activities to the international level and started to promote the participation of parliaments in international affairs. The participation of the IPU at this level would fill this current gap. iv. The legal change to an "international organization" would assist in facilitating greater cooperation with governments since international cooperation is organized by states acting through their governments v. The IPU's vision was to work as the global parliamentary counterpart to the United Nations. This depends largely on the IPU becoming a fully-fledged international organization.