Foreign Minister pays official visit to Denmark

Foreign Minister Michael Frendo has been on a two-day official visit to Denmark where he held talks with Danish Minister of Foreign Affairs Per Stig Moeller to discuss issues of bilateral interest and international affairs.

He also addressed the Danish Foreign Policy Association on "Illegal immigration: is there a solution?".

Dr Frendo said that illegal migration is presenting serious difficulties for Malta. "We have the highest density of population in Europe at over 1,200 persons per square kilometre, and unlike other Mediterranean EU member states, Malta has no hinterland where to transfer these illegal migrants," he emphasised.

Dr Frendo also thanked the Danish government for providing experts to assist Maltese authorities in the identification of the countries of origin of illegal migrants.

"We think that Commissioner Frattini is working well in a focused manner to address this problem but the EU and its member states still have more to do. It is imperative that this issue is addressed by all in the European Union as a whole in a process of burden-sharing," the Minister insisted.

Dr Frendo also explained to the Danish Foreign Minister Malta's initiative to have a meeting of the foreign ministers of the EU and the Arab League.

"This initiative is intended to have these two neighbouring parts of the world discuss political issues and their political and economic relationship in an exercise of pre-emptive dialogue," he said.