Malta, Arab League in cooperation agreement

Foreign Minister Michael Frendo and Arab League secretary general Amr Moussa on Thursday signed a Memorandum of Understanding between the Maltese Foreign Ministry and the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States.

The signing took place at the United Nations headquarters in New York.

The Memorandum of Understanding sets out a framework for structured political dialogue and cooperation between Malta and the Arab League.

The MOU, covering political, economic and cultural cooperation, provides for an annual bilateral meeting between the Maltese Foreign Ministry and the Secretary General of the Arab League as part of a structured political dialogue between the two parties.

It also provides for exchange of views on international and regional issues, joint organisation of political, economic and academic seminars and meetings and exchange visits to further the execution of the objectives of this MOU. 

With regard to cultural cooperation, the MOU makes reference to joint initiatives particularly with regard to dialogue between civilizations, cultures and faiths.

Dr Frendo hailed the agreement as "a new, higher and more intensive level of cooperation between Malta and the Arab League reaffirming Malta's closeness and friendship with the Arab world. This is a solid basis for closer political, economic and cultural cooperation."

Dr Frendo is in New York taking part in the United Nations General Assembly. He is also expected to chair the meeting of Commonwealth Foreign Ministers and to meet several of his counterparts.