The President of the Italian Chamber of Deputies, Hon. Gianfranco Fini, had talks in Malta with the Secretary General of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean, Dr Sergio Piazzi. Hon. Fini was on the island-state for a one day official visit on 20 January 2010.
During the meeting Dr Sergio Piazzi illustrated the latest activities of PAM, among which the participation at the UN Climate Change meeting COP15 in Copenhagen and the granting of the Observer Status to PAM by the UN General Assembly in December 2009. He also briefed Hon. Fini on the forthcoming meeting on the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, co-organised by PAM and the UN, to be held in Malta on the 12-13 February 2010.
Hon. Fini reiterated Italy’s and his own support to the role and work of PAM in the Mediterranean region and underscored the importance of the complimentarity that there should continue to exist with other regional parliamentary organisations, among which the Euromediterranean Parliamentary Assembly (EMPA).
Later this year Italy will be handed over the Presidency of EMPA and Hon. Fini, who will be the next incumbent as President, made it clear that there exists no “reasonable obstacle” for the two organisations to strengthen their cooperation and role in the region through the exchange of Observer Status in order to continue to work within a coordinated effort and possibly, through a concerted plan of action, for the long term interests of the citizens they both represent.
Italy is one of the founding members of PAM and currently holds the Vice-Presidency of the Bureau. Members of the Italian delegation to PAM regularly and actively contribute to the parliamentary debates within the framework of the Standing Committees through the preparation and presentation of reports and resolutions, and informed interventions on a number of issues of interest to the Mediterranean. Furthermore, Italy will host in 2011 the Annual Plenary Session of the Assembly.