AD concerned over warship visits

Alternattiva Demokratika yesterday called on the government to enforce a parliamentary resolution, passed in 1988, through which Malta was declared a zone free of nuclear weapons.

In the light of this resolution, the Maltese government should ask the British government to ensure that there were no nuclear weapons on HMS Ark Royal and HMS Southampton, which will be visiting Malta on September 26, the party said.

The party said the increased frequency of visits by foreign military warships was worrying.

"Malta has a unique and invaluable contribution to make to peace and security in the Mediterranean region by preserving its status as a neutral venue for peace talks and for the location of permanent institutions favouring peace and security in the region. The current trend of increasing foreign naval presence in Malta is a serious challenge to this avowed national policy" AD said.