Gonzi to meet Blair in London

Prime minister Lawrence Gonzi is to meet his British counterpart Tony Blair in London next month, according to sources close to the British Foreign Office.

The meeting will take place at Downing Street in mid-October. Dr Gonzi is expected to spend two days in London, where he will meet various officials, including British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw. The meeting is being held just one month ahead of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Malta, which will be attended by both leaders.

The main items on the agenda are expected to be linked to CHOGM, such as the outcome of the recent UN summit which discussed the millennium development goals and December's World Trade Organisation meeting in Hong Kong that will tackle reforms to alleviate poverty.

In a letter to the prime minister, Mr Blair wrote: "I believe that this year presents a unique opportunity to make real progress in the areas of trade and development. I should like to see CHOGM build on the successful outcome of the G8 summit at Gleneagles, follow up the outcome of the Millennium Review Summit, and send a powerful message to the ministerial meeting in Hong Kong at the end of the year."

The British prime minister said the Commonwealth's diverse membership meant it had a "rare advantage" and a broad spectrum of views.

"I am confident that the 2005 CHOGM will be a success, not least because the innovative format for this year's meeting will allow the heads of government to focus solely on the major issues."

Mr Blair said he was also pleased that the EU's Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson will be attending the Commonwealth Business Forum, which is being held in Malta in the run-up to CHOGM.

Mr Blair said of his former British Cabinet minister's visit: "This will provide an excellent opportunity for Commonwealth business leaders to highlight their views on trade and investment issues of the Hong Kong discussions in December," he said.

The illegal immigration problem is expected to be on the agenda of the London meeting, particularly since Britain currently holds the presidency of the EU.

Malta has been urging the EU to take a tough stance against illegal immigration for several weeks and the issue is also likely to be on CHOGM's agenda after a request was made by Dr Gonzi, who is chairing the meeting.

The UK has responded by urging all member states to help bring about "early concrete action" in the EU's dialogue with Libya over the illegal immigrant problem in the Mediterranean. The last meeting at Downing Street between a Maltese and British Prime Minister took place in February, 2003 - just before the EU referendum - when Dr Eddie Fenech Adami had met Mr Blair.