New head for EP information office

The European Parliament has appointed Maltese diplomat Julian Vassallo as head of its information office in Valletta.

Dr Vassallo is currently an advisor to Javier Solana, the EU's foreign policy chief.

As member of Mr Solana's Policy Planning Unit, Dr Vassallo was responsible for various aspects of EU Middle East and Mediterranean policy including responding to the recent Prophet Mohammed cartoons crisis.

He has also served as Foreign Relations Counsellor at Malta's Permanent Representation to the EU in Brussels and covered the Security Council at the UN in New York from 1999 till 2003.

The task of the European Parliament office is to explain the role of the Parliament to the public and assist the media in its coverage of the political work of the institution.

The EP office operates from temporary premises in Republic Street but will join the Representation of the European Commission in permanent offices in St Paul Street, Valletta as soon as renovations are completed.