Labour leader Joseph Muscat has expressed his will “to work hard to expand the friendly relations between the Malta Labour Party and the Workers' Party of Korea and between Malta and the DPRK in the political, economic, cultural and other fields,” according to the Korean news agency KCNA.
KCNA reported that Dr Muscat again expressed deep condolences again over the demise of leader Kim Jong Il on behalf of the Party Central Committee and on his own behalf during a meeting with the DPRK ambassador to Malta Han Tae Song.
The agency said Dr Muscat was convinced that the Korean people would greet the centenary of the birth of President Kim Il Sung “with shining achievements in economic construction under the wise leadership of the dear respected Kim Jong Un”.
He hoped that everything would continue going well in the DPRK.
The agency said the Labour leader told the ambassador that satellite launch was a legitimate right of sovereign states.
A spokesman for the Labour Party said that Dr Muscat met the North Korean ambassador who was in Malta to meet the country’s authorities on his farewell visit.
"As is customary, the Leader of the Opposition expressed his condolences over demise of a head of state.
"Labour expressed its clear opposition to nuclear armaments while stating that it respected the integrity of sovereign states," the spokesman said.
The same agency also reported that when expressing his condolences President George Abela said he was pleased "with the great achievements made by the DPRK in building a thriving nation under the wise guidance of Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un."
The agency said Dr Abela expressed belief that the long-standing relations of friendship and cooperation between Malta and the DPRK "would steadily develop in various fields including politics, economy and culture in the future, too".
In a statement, the Office of the President said that while Dr Abela remarked that Malta and the DPRK enjoyed good diplomatic relations (as Malta did with all countries), at no point did he say that “he was pleased with the great achievements made by the DPRK in building a thriving nation under the wise guidance of Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un”.
"The President simply asked how the economy of the DPRK was faring, a customary question during such meetings, and made no further observations to the reply given by the outgoing DPRK ambassador.
"Neither did President Abela mention the demise of former DPRK general secretary Kim Jong Il," the Office of the President said.