The President of the Palestinian National Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, yesterday called on President Eddie Fenech Adami at the Palace in Valletta, where he expressed his appreciation for Malta's support of the Palestinian cause.
President Abbas is here on a two-day visit as the guest of Dr Fenech Adami. He is on his way back from the EU-Mediterranean summit in Paris.
It was his first visit to the "Republic friend of Malta" and he hoped it would not be his last.
Apart from supporting the cause, Malta also always spoke to other parties, particularly the EU, in favour of the rights of the Palestinians, President Abbas told the press after his meeting with Dr Fenech Adami.
Malta had also always supported talks between the Palestinians and the Israelis, he said. The present state of affairs between Israel and Palestine and the existing obstacles were addressed at the meeting and President Abbas hoped they would be resolved in the future.
He thanked Dr Fenech Adami for the plan to open a Maltese embassy in the Palestinian territories and invited him to visit. It was an invitation to a "President friend and a friend of a nation".
During the meeting, Dr Fenech Adami expressed the government's support of the Palestinian cause, support that dates back many years. He mentioned, in particular, that, since 1975, Malta was the rapporteur on the inalienable rights of the Palestinians at a committee of the UN.
"We have always retained this position because we have always believed that, despite our small size, Malta can help the Palestinian people who have suffered - and are still suffering - so much."
The meeting also discussed the present situation and Dr Fenech Adami said it appeared there were moves towards a possible solution so that the Palestinians could have their own independent state.
There was no doubt that both the Isreali and Palestinian sides realised that the only way to guarantee a good future for their peoples was through peace and true peace could only be achieved if the Palestinians could enjoy their rights, which would be recognised by the international community.