Malta and Croatia have submitted their candidature to host the Executive Secretariat of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean, a spokesman for the Office of the Speaker of the House of Representatives said.

Established under the aegis of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean will give more stature to parliamentary diplomacy in the Mediterranean region. The main objectives of the session of the Parliamentary Assembly include the adoption of its basic statutory documents, the election of the bureau and committee members, and a decision on the siting of the Executive Secretariat headquarters.

The Maltese parliamentary delegation to the IPU worked hard towards the realisation of the project and submitted proposals and initiatives with a view of setting up a well-structured dialogue that will focus on the promotion of stability, security and prosperity within the Mediterranean region, the Speaker's Office said.

The Speaker, Anton Tabone, will lead a parliamentary delegation to the inaugural session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean to be held in Amman, Jordan, on Sunday and Monday.

The delegation includes MPs Michael Gonzi and George Vella, Joe Mangion, diplomatic officer at the Speaker's secretariat, and Alfred Zarb, from the Foreign Ministry.