Updated: Abbas arrives in Malta

(Adds comments by the two Presidents)

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has arrived in Malta and is currently meeting President Eddie Fenech Adami at the Palace in Valletta.

President Abbas arrived from Paris, where he attended the launch of the Mediterranean Union.

He was greeted at the airport by Foreign Minister Tonio Borg.

At the Palace, President Abbas told Dr Fenech Adami that the Palestinians viewed Malta as a longstanding friend who had always backed peace negotiations and Palestinian statehood. He invited Dr Fenech Adami to visit Palestine and praised Malta for having decided to open an office in Ramallah. He then briefed Dr Fenech Adami on the current state of the peace process.

Dr Fenech Adami reiterated Malta's support to the creation of a Palestinian state alongside Israel and augured that there would be progress in the current peace process.

Malta and the Palestinian Authority recently signed an agreement for the training of Palestinian policemen in Malta. Malta has also been confirmed as the rapporteur of the UN Committee on the inalienable right of the Palestinian people.

This is President Abbas's first official visit to Malta, but his predecessor, Yassar Arafat came to Malta on a number of occasions.