Malta and Syria yesterday signed a cooperation agreement on peace and security in the Mediterranean.

Foreign Affairs Minister Tonio Borg and his Syrian counterpart, Walid Almoallem, signed the accord through which the two countries agreed to start talks on the Union for the Mediterranean, the Middle East and the dialogue between Europe and the Arab League.

Dr Borg later held talks with the President of Syria, Bashar al Assad as part of his visit to Syria, Jordan and Lebanon.

The Foreign Ministry said it was hoping a double taxation agreement would be reached with Jordan and Lebanon with which Malta had a substantial amount of trade. Malta and Syria signed such an agreement in 1999 and ratified it in October 2000. Diplomatic relations between the two countries started in 1970. A cooperation agreement on tourism and air transport had been signed in the 1980s. Both sides had also signed a cooperation agreement on environmental protection.

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