The government has drawn up a contingency plan that would come into operation if the island were to face a mass influx of irregular immigrants, Family Minister Dolores Cristina said.

The plan, which should be fully operational in the coming weeks, includes the provision of a centre to provide temporary accommodation for the new arrivals.

"Being such a small island, a mass influx means about 250 irregular immigrants arriving at once. Due to our limited resources we keep being caught unawares so this contingency should help us face the crisis, if and when it arises," she said.

Ms Cristina was speaking at a press conference to mark World Refugee Day on Monday. She was accompanied by Walter Irvine, a top representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees for Italy, Malta, San Marino and the Holy See.

Mr Irvine, who has visited Malta numerous times and has closely followed the island's disputed detention policy, said he was eagerly awaiting Judge Franco Depasquale's report on his inquiry into the incidents at Safi barracks in mid-January.

"We have followed this incident very closely and were pleased a decision was taken to immediately launch an investigation into the matter. However, it does seem to be taking some time," he said when questioned by journalists.

"We hope the results of the investigation are made available as soon as possible because some people were badly injured in that incident and some clarification should be forthcoming," he added.

Touching on another topic, both Mr Irvine and Ms Cristina yesterday put a heavy accent on courage, which is this year's theme for World Refugee Day.

They spoke about the trauma that irregular migrants faced to escape the persecution in their homeland. These people left everything behind and risked their life to seek a better future.

Though they came emptyhanded, they carried a different baggage - one of emotions, language barriers, cultural differences and psychological concerns.

"Our objective today is to tell all the Maltese to welcome these people. Apprehension is understandable, but we have to learn to understand one another. There is no place for hatred and racism," Ms Cristina insisted.

"It takes courage for both the irregular immigrants who left and for us to see new faces around - but there has to be courage from all sides."

Mr Irvine said the UNHCR was aware that sometimes, due to lack of information, many people failed to understand who the refugee was, which could lead to "unfriendly feelings".

"Sometimes a smile or an invitation to have a coffee will go a long way to help these people fit in and rebuild their lives," he said.

Between January 2002 and December 2004, the Refugee Commissioner examined 1,661 applications involving 2,039 individuals. The commissioner has recognised the refugee status of nearly half the asylum seekers while another 40 per cent have been granted humanitarian protection.

Currently there are some 135 pending applications, regarding 141 individuals.

Granting citizenship to refugees could help refugees better integrate in society but to date not one refugee has been granted citizenship.

When questioned about this, Ms Cristina said the government was moving towards granting citizenship to refugees who have been living in Malta for 10 years.

The UNHCR and the Social Solidarity Ministry have joined forces to work together towards achieving better understanding among Maltese and irregular immigrants.

"This cooperation agreement comes at a significant time when Malta sees the arrival of asylum seekers that is raising concerns among the local population," Ms Cristina said.

An information campaign to promote better understanding is set to start around October, while the UNHCR will be holding a seminar for the media on national and international legislation and reporting techniques.

"The apprehension shown by the Maltese is understandable in view of the changes taking place in our country. This makes it even more critical that misunderstandings are ironed out and clear information reaches every sector of society - however, apprehension and racism are two distinct issues," she said.

Ms Cristina and Mr Irvine acknowledged the valuable efforts and courage shown by workers in the field and by non-governmental organisations.