The United Nations General Assembly granted Observer Status to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean.
PAM President Hon. Rudy Salles (France) on receiving the news described this decision as a further recognition of the unique role PAM has in Mediterranean affairs as well as at the international level. “This is exactly in line with our commitment to participate and address the Climate Change COP15 Conference in Copenhagen where we also presented the “The Malta Declaration of the Commitment by Parliamentarians to COP 15 and Beyond”, commented Hon Salles. The declaration was unanimously adopted at the “International Roundtable of Parliamentarians on Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation” held in Malta last november in conjunction with the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR) and the government of Malta.
The process, which started a few months ago was spearheaded by the Permanent Mission of Malta to the United Nations in New York and together with the Delegation of France, played an important role in the negotiations and consultations with other UN Member States on the draft resolution which was first adopted by the Sixth Committee (Legal Affairs). By this decision, PAM has been granted the right to occupy a seat in the General Assembly Hall, intervene in important debates, and participate in the formal consultation processes.
In January 2009 the agreement between Malta and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM) on the juridical status of the Assembly was also presented to the United Nations Office of Legal Affairs by H.E. Mr. Saviour F. Borg, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary and Permanent Representative of Malta to the United Nations, and by Dr. Sergio Piazzi, Secretary General of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean. The Headquarters Agreement and the Instruments were also deposited.
The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Malta, Dr. Tonio Borg, commended the prominent and leading role played by Malta and stated that the decision by the UN General Assembly to grant Observer Status to the PAM will further strengthen the excellent relations which it has developed with the United Nations System during the past months.
PAM`s Secretariat is located in Malta in Palazzo Spinola, St.Julians, which had been offered by the Government of Malta in its efforts to further place the country at the heart of Mediterranean diplomacy.