President on an 'outward-looking' Europe

The emerging Europe should be outward looking and a continent that believed in values and diversity of culture, President Guido de Marco said yesterday at the Warsaw School of Economics.

Prof. de Marco, who is on a state visit to Poland, yesterday also visited the Polish parliament and had a working lunch with Prime Minister Leszek Miller.

At the Warsaw School of Economics, Prof. de Marco gave an overview of Malta's initiatives on the international scene.

He said there could be no security in Europe without security in the Mediterranean, and that likewise, there could be no security in the Mediterranean unless there was security in Europe.

Malta, through the United Nations, had constantly advanced the Mediterranean dimension, he said.

"My government believes, and I am sure that this is also shared by your government, in the emergence of a multipolar world in which the European Union will be fundamental in the maintenance of world peace.

"Europe will be the home of millions of citizens, living in a democratic space with an economy based on the social market, inspired by social justice and having, in the observance of human rights, its raison d'etre."

Prof. de Marco is accompanied by Economic Services Minister Josef Bonnici and Maltese ambassador to Poland William Spiteri.

The President and Mrs de Marco are expected back today.