I refer to a letter by Joe Azzopardi (December 8) as well as to an article by Austin Sammut that referred to my participation in a discussion programme on Net TV that touched on Alfred Sant's knowledge of the French language as an effective means of achieving support within the European Union.

I won't deal with Mr Azzopardi's sheepish comments. However I felt I had to refer to Dr Sammut's remarks after the interview in the Maltese language with the British High Commissioner for Malta during a recent Xarabank programme.

In a vain attempt to devalue the Leader of the Opposition's natural advantage owing to the fact that he is capable of speaking perfect French, Dr Sammut says that: "As for French, surely it is useful, but not necessary, since there are many languages and full interpretation facilities".

I invite Dr Sammut to reiterate what he said to the British High Commissioner. According to Dr Sammut's reasoning, the Maltese would be just as grateful to Nick Archer if he took along an interpreter or audio translator with him and replied in English, especially as most Maltese do understand that language.

Through Mr Archer's performance, however, we had the opportunity to experience how respected one feels when one hears foreigners speaking in one's own language. Indeed, I cannot but compliment the esteemed High Commissioner. The extent of his knowledge of our language shows that he is indeed an intelligent man. His diplomatic success is guaranteed.

Apart from the good impression he instantly gives, he is in a situation where he is capable of understanding everyone and everything at all times. In the same way, apart from the good impression Dr Sant would leave on top EU politicians, no French-speaking political virtuoso would be able to get away from the fact that he is being understood by Dr Sant in situations where the more you understand the better.

Dr Sammut should be sincere and say that some of the blue-eyed boys sent to Brussels sat through whole sessions of the EP in French before they actually learned they could use a translator stuck to their seat. Neither should he ignore the fact that one of the translators sent over by the Maltese government was using her electronic translator so much that she wrote down "igsma tal-pariri" as the Maltese version for "advisory bodies"! Dr Sant wouldn't have done any of these linguistic fiascos.