The St John's Co-Cathedral Foundation said yesterday it would never risk any real or potential damage to the Co-Cathedral or any of its possessions.

The Foundation added that it will be implementing any safeguard recommendations following the project's impact assessment that would take into consideration any potential negative effect.

The main aim of the two applications to the Malta Environment and Planning Authority is to display in a state-of-the-art museum, the world unique and priceless collection-set of tapestries together with a wide range of artefacts that today remain very inappropriately exhibited or hidden from both the Maltese public and tourists. Storing such artefacts may not be the best way of preservation and care, the foundation said.

These proposals are based on technical advice and following extensive internal discussions that took into consideration the fact that St John's is a world treasure and that nothing would be done that could in any way compromise its integrity.

Interested NGO's would be most welcome to join the Foundation in search of the most appropriate structure as well as safeguards for the construction of a world-class museum for a world-class monument, the Foundation said.