A delegation from Argyll and Bute could fly out to Korcula, described by the travel section of The Observer as "the greenest, most independent and most interesting of Croatia's 1,000 or so islands", in the next few months to begin formal proceedings towards re-establishing a link between the two islands which was formed by the late Sir Fitzroy MacLean while he was MP for Bute and North Ayrshire.

The mayor of Korcula has made a formal request for a delegation from Argyll and Bute to visit the island - and while hopes for a trip as early as October or November seem unlikely to be fulfilled, the visit could still take place some time in the next few months.

Members of Argyll and Bute Council's Bute and Cowal area committee considered the request when they met in Dunoon on Tuesday, and agreed to investigate the matter further - though they backed away from a suggestion that the visit could be important enough for the public purse to pick up the tab.

Korcula, just off the Dalmatian coast, is 46.8 kilometres long and an average of 7.8 kilometres wide, with a population of 16,182 at the 2001 census.

Its economy is largely based on tourism and agriculture, the latter concentrating on the cultivation of grape vines, olives and fruit, while the island also has a shipbuilding industry, though this is not as big as it once was.

Bute's links with Korcula go back to Sir Fitzroy's links with the former Yugoslavia and his personal selection by Winston Churchill in 1943 to lead a liaison mission to the country in a bid to form an alliance against German control of the Balkans.

Sir Fitzroy developed a great affection for Yugoslavia and its people, and was later given permission to buy a house on Korcula.

Having been elected as Conservative MP for Lancaster in 1941, he switched constituencies at the 1959 general election and represented Bute and North Ayrshire until retiring in February 1974.

In retirement he wrote extensively and managed a hotel in Strachur until his death in June 1996.

Described as "a Scottish diplomat, soldier, adventurer, writer and politician", it has been speculated that Ian Fleming used Sir Fitzroy as one of his inspirations for the most famous spy of them all, James Bond.