PM to attend Nato summit
Malta to join US naval exercises
Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi is today expected to become the first Maltese Prime Minister to attend a Nato summit when he travels to Bucharest, Romania, for the discussion over the island's application to re-join the Partnership for Peace Programme (PfP).
He was invited by Nato's Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer to join 26 leaders of Nato member countries, including US President George Bush, and of the partner countries who form part of the PfP programme.
"Following Malta's application to join the programme, Dr Gonzi has been invited to attend the meeting of the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC) to be held during the second day of the summit where Malta's application will be discussed and probably decided upon," sources said.
Set up in 1997, Nato's Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council provides the overall political framework for Nato's cooperation with partner countries and the bilateral relationships developed between Nato and individual partner countries with the PfP programme.
Malta joined the PfP in 1995 and withdrew a year later when Labour was elected in government.
The government re-applied to join after the March 8 general election. The application is being viewed very positively and there should be no problem to accept it, sources said yesterday.
Meanwhile, the Armed Forces of Malta will shortly join 11 other countries in exercises led by the US Sixth Fleet as part of joint efforts to enhance security in the Mediterranean.
Malta will host the communications centre of this operation to be held between next Tuesday and April 22 and will participate in the manoeuvers through its maritime and air squadron.
This operation will link the US and other Nato members in exercises with the states of the so-called Mediterranean Dialogue. Codenamed Phoenix Express 2008, it will involve joint training in procedures for surveillance of cargo vessels, patrolling and rescue work.
In addition to Malta and the US, other participating countries include France, Spain, Italy, Turkey, Portugal, Morocco, Algeria, Greece, Tunisia, Mauritania and Libya.