PRESIDENT DE MARCO PARTICIPATES IN ASSEMBLY OF WORLD PARLIAMENTARIANS IN ROME AND IN AN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE IN TUNISIA.

President Guido de Marco, accompanied by Mrs. de Marco, this morning left for Rome, where he will be participating in the Assembly of World Parlamentarians. This meeting is being convened in Rome as part of the Jubilee Celebrations organised by the Holy See. On Saturday evening, Pope John Paul II will be addressing the Assembly. President and Mrs. de Marco will be attending the Mass which Pope John Paul II will be celebrating on Sunday morning at St. Peter's Square. During this Mass, President Guido de Marco will be reading the first reading. Children of Maltese Parlamentarians, who are also attending the Assembly, will be presenting flowers to the Pope during the Mass. Later, President and Mrs. de Marco will attend an event in honour of Pope John Paul II.

On Monday, President de Marco will address the International Forum organised by the Alcide De Gasperi Foundation. The theme chosen for this forum is La Persona Umana, la democrazia, lo Sviluppo e la Pace in un Mondo Globale. The President and Mrs. de Marco will be later attend a reception hosted by H.E. Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, President of Italy.

Before arriving in Rome, President de Marco will be in Tunisia, where he accepted an invitation by the Tunisian President H.E. Mr. Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, to participate in an International Symposium entitled International Solidarity and the challenges of Development in the next Century. He also will be meeting President Ben Ali at the Presidential Palace in Carthage.