Why a Mediterranean Parliament?
Rudy Salles: I believe in the virtue of dialogue between peoples and the necessity of bringing their positions closer together. The Mediterranean is often considered a dividing line between nations, whereas it should, in my opinion, be a unifying factor. As early as 2003, I proposed to the Parliamentarians sitting in this body that we start working to create a genuine Mediterranean Parliament: to discuss the heritage we have in common, see how we can protect and promote it together, and how we can contribute, even modestly, to ensuring that peoples stop fighting and come together to build a better future.
NP: You managed to bring Israelis, Palestinians, Lebanese, and Syrians to the same table. How?
RS: My ambition was to bring together Mediterranean Parliamentarians and have them work jointly with the sole objective of moving towards the general interest of our peoples. While everyone considered this idea positive, I encountered significant reluctance from the belligerents in the Middle East who were hesitant to sit together. I expressed a different opinion to them, emphasizing that in the event of problems, it is better to speak to each other than to refuse any contact. My thesis prevailed, and we began to build this project. More than three years later, after numerous meetings and negotiations between different countries, we reached the conclusion of our work as we attended the inauguration of the Mediterranean Parliament this Monday in Amman, Jordan.
NP: During the inaugural session, the Parliaments of Mediterranean countries unanimously elected you as the Founding President of this new Assembly. Are you a happy man?
RS: I feel honored by this recognition, as well as by the trust and friendship expressed by peoples who are so different yet united by the Mediterranean and who have understood and supported my initiative. It is a true joy and immense satisfaction to have achieved this bold challenge, especially in the current rather difficult context. I am genuinely proud of the work accomplished with my entire team, and I’m also very proud that this initiative came from France and advanced the dialogue and understanding among Mediterranean nations.
NP: The headquarters of this new Assembly will be established in Malta. Why not Nice?
RS: The statutes of this Assembly were drafted in Nice, during a meeting I organized with all the Mediterranean delegations. I had then proposed that the City of Nice apply to host the headquarters (I was thinking of the Villa Paradisio in Cimiez). I regret that the Mayor of Nice never showed any interest in this project.
