'A signal to shipowners not to misuse the flag' - Frendo

Ship boarding agreements Malta has signed with the United States reflected a commitment to fight international crime as well as the seriousness of the Malta maritime flag, Foreign Minister Michael Frendo told Parliament.

He was speaking at the opening of a debate on a motion to ratify agreements, which will enable American and Maltese inspectors to stop and board ships flying each others' flag if they suspect them of ferrying materials for weapons of mass destruction or drugs.

The US has similar agreements with other major ship registers, such as Cyprus.

"The management of Malta's merchant flag is one of great seriousness and these agreements further reinforce that," Dr Frendo said.

These, he said, were bilateral agreements which reinforced multilateral arrangements made within the UN context for international collaboration to deter the proliferation of mass destruction.

Malta was against the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and was operated closely with the group of countries which were working to reduce the risk from such weapons. It was important for Malta to contribute to stop the proliferation of weapons and to reduce the existing stockpiles.

Collaboration against the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction was an act in Malta's own security interest.

There agreements, Dr Frendo said, were balanced and respected Malta's sovereignty. They covered information, notificaton and the granting of permission from the flag state to the other country for its forces to board, in international waters, ships suspected of carrying illegal materials.

The ratification of these agreements was a signal by Malta to ship owners that it would not tolerate misuse of its merchant flag.

Dr Frendo said Malta's relations with the United States were developing and needed to develop further, including also areas such as assistance for the resettlement of refugees, double taxation and the visa waiver.