A high-level delegation of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean participated in the First Part of the 2018 Ordinary Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, held in Strasbourg from 22 to 26 January.
PAM was represented by the President, Hon. Pedro Roque, Honorary President, Sen. Francesco Amoruso, Vice President, Hon. Belal Qasem, and the Secretary General, Amb. Sergio Piazzi.
In addition to a number of items on the regular agenda, the issue of the Israeli-Palestinian Peace Process was debated under the urgent procedure. During this debate, Sen. Amoruso took the floor on behalf of PAM.
In his address, Sen. Amoruso underlined the importance of Parliamentary Diplomacy during times when inter-governmental relations are under strain. He further highlighted that both Israel and Palestine were equal, founding, and active members of PAM and its Bureau, with representatives of both countries serving as Vice Presidents.
Sen. Amoruso also recalled the recent mission PAM had to the Middle East, last July, during which authorities did not seem optimistic about the resumption of direct negotiations. On that occasion, PAM offered to help with its instrument of parliamentary diplomacy to support the peace process, recalling that PAM is firmly in favor of a comprehensive two-state solution, which will allow both peoples to live side by side in security, stability and prosperity.
On the margins of the Ordinary Session, PAM Secretary General met with Mr. Sergey Antufiev, Secretary General of the PA CIS, and with Mr. Wojciech Sawicki, Secretary General of PACE, to discuss issues of common interest and joint initiatives scheduled to take place in 2018.