Foreign Minister Tonio Borg has returned from a 'successful' two day official visit to Tunisia where he met President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, Foreign Minister Abdelwaheb Abdallah, and the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies Foued Mbazza, the Foreign Ministry said.

"While recalling the deep historical, geographic and strategic friendship which binds the two governments and peoples of Malta and Tunisia, the two sides exchanged views on ways to bring this bilateral and regional cooperation forward, particularly in the context of Euro Mediterranean relations, Malta’s initiative to launch an EU Arab dialogue, the Union for the Mediterranean and the liaison office to be set up in Malta," the Foreign Ministry added.

EU-Tunisia relations generally, as well as the Middle East peace process were also discussed.

It made no mention of the pending issue between the two countries on the delineation of the continental shelf for purposes of oil exploration, but said the two countries intend to intensify their bilateral relations through an annual Mixed Commission chaired by the two foreign ministers meeting alternately in Malta and Tunisia starting in early 2009.

Libya, Italy and Malta have announced that their foreign ministers will meet in Malta on December 5 to discuss illegal immigration and oil exploration rights in the waters which separate them.

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