Spanish honours for de Marco, Frendo

President Emeritus Guido de Marco and former Foreign Affairs Minister Michael Frendo have been awarded the Gran Cruz of the Order of Isabel la Catolica by Spain's Foreign Affairs Minister for being "great European, great Mediterranean and great Maltese".

A Spanish civil order, created in 1815 by King Ferdinand VII of Spain in honour of Queen Isabella, it is granted in recognition of services that benefit the country. It was awarded on the occasion of the visit of King Juan Carlos I of Spain.

The award was bestowed upon Prof. De Marco and Dr Frendo by Miguel Angel Moratinos Cuyaubé at the Grand Hotel Excelsior in recognition of their work for understanding and better relations between Spain and Malta.

Prof. de Marco was described as "an absolutely Mediterranean personality, working for peace and stability in the whole area" and also a "defender of the values of peace and security in the Middle East".

During the ceremony, Dr Frendo took the opportunity to appeal for a second meeting of the EU-Arab League foreign ministers so that it would become a regular process and not remain a one-off.