The Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean is set to convene in Malta for the first time next month, with secretary general Sergio Piazzi having high hopes for a real difference to be made once it gathers steam.

Mr Piazzi, a Neapolitan, gave some background about the assembly (PAM), adding that the one common factor that Mediterranean people share is the sea. “And even those who are not touching the basin still have a very strong Mediterranean influence, such as Jordan, Macedonia and Portugal,” he said.

He explained that PAM is based on the notion of equality among all. All states have five parliamentary members and all votes have common weighting. “Even Palestine is a full member and its votes count as much as those of Italy, or Malta, for that matter,” he said.

Mr Piazzi said the assembly would prove to be a tool for Mediterranean states to work together. Referring to a conversation with the author, Mr Piazzi said: “The people of the Mediterranean are very similar. We are the first to have an argument with our neighbours, but are also the first to help them when in need. You can go to Libya, Malta, Italy, Tunisia, Greece or Turkey and you will see that families all behave in the same way.

“We all eat olives and tomatoes and drizzle olive oil over our food. We have a lot in common,” he said.

Mr Piazzi said that Malta was one of the first to push the Mediterranean agenda forward under former Prime Minister Dom Mintoff, and again by President Emeritus Guido de Marco.

Mr Piazzi said the fact that the assembly was a parliamentary affair would allow members the facility to discuss more sensitive issues. “The beauty is that they can speak freely and push forward issues of real importance, without being shackled by foreign policy and official government lines,” he explained.

He said that the common aim of PAM was to have stronger links between Mediterranean states for a better all-round relationship. He explained that the set-up of the council involved three standing committees; one economic (with special reference to the environment), one political and one for dialogue.

Reacting to questions by this newspaper, Mr Piazzi said that what was different about PAM was that there would always be a follow up. “As you rightly point out, there have been several Mediterranean initiatives that have never really got off the ground primarily because there was never any follow up action,” he said. He continued,“Every resolution passed by PAM will be delivered through member MP’s to their respective local parliaments, so as to push our agenda forward whether the Houses want to hear it or not.”

He said that for the upcoming meeting, a top aide of French President Nicolas Sarkozy will be present to see the PAM work in relation to Mr Sarkozy’s proposal for the set-up of a Mediterranean Union.

“We have a vision based on everyone being on equal footing. We think we can break new ground here in Malta and throughout the Mediterranean region. We want to create a Parliamentary Centre of Excellence on Mediterranean Affairs here,” he said.