Updated: Abbas to visit Malta

(Recast with Foreign Minister's comments)

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will pay an official visit to Malta in mid-July on his way back from the EU-Mediterranean summit to be held in Paris on July 13.

It will be Mr Abbas's first visit to Malta, during which he will be the guest of President Eddie Fenech Adami.

The visit is being held on the initiative of Foreign Minister Tonio Borg and was discussed during the recent meeting in Malta of the UN Committee on the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People.

Dr Borg said he was honoured that Mr Abbas had accepted to visit Malta. He said the Palestinian Authority appreciated Malta's backing for the two states solution providing for a viable Palestinian state and peace and security for the Israelis and the Palestinians.

Last week Dr Borg also had a meeting with the Palestinian Foeign Minister, during which an agreement was signed for Malta to train Palestinian policemen, in Malta.

Earlier today the MLP said Mr Abbas told its international secretary, Joe Mifsud, that he intended to visit Malta this month.

Dr Mifsud met Mr Abbas during a meeting of the Socialist International in Athens.

Mr Abbas expressed his appreciation for the longstanding support of the MLP for the Palestinian cause and said he looked forward to meeting new Labour leader Joseph Muscat.

Dr Mifsud said the leader of the Israeli Social Democratic Party, Yossi Beilin, said he agreed with the Maltese Labour proposal that Malta could serve as a neutral venue for Middle East peace talks.