Foreign Minister Giulio Terzi met the Foreign Minister of the Republic of Malta, Tonio Borg, at the Foreign Ministry in Rome today. Minister Borg is in Rome for the State Visit by the President of Malta, George Abela.
The two Ministers reiterated the intense level of bilateral relations and Italy and Malta’s closely shared views on regional issues. They expressed their common commitment to establish an enhanced dialogue mechanism, the aim being to examine key issues of interest to both countries on a regular basis, from a bilateral, European and Mediterranean perspective.
In this context, and in light of the recent events concerning migration, both Ministers expressed a common commitment to examine, on a priority basis, the possibilities and opportunities for collaboration on maritime issues. They referred in particular to immigration by sea and cooperation in search and rescue operations at sea.
Foreign Ministers Borg and Terzi also discussed current European questions and the situation in the Mediterranean, especially as regards developments in Libya. Turning to Mediterranean cooperation, Italy expressed its appreciation of and support for the organisation work being done for the 5+5 Summit that Malta will be hosting in October 2012.
