Qatari Armed Forces chief of staff General Hamad Bin Al-Attiyah was today welcomed by Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi.

General Bin Al-Attiyah's visit was one of gratitude for "Malta's invaluable role in the Libya crisis2.

The Qataris wanted to thank the Prime Minister in person for the strong position taken by Malta since the beginning of the Libyan crisis and for the continued assistance of Malta and the Maltese to alleviating the suffering of the Libyan people.

The meeting was an opportunity for two small states, both close to Libya and its people, to assist in the developing situation.

Dr Gonzi reiterated Malta's appreciation of Qatar's impressive undertaking in providing humanitarian aid and assistance to Libya.

The Chief of Defence viewed Malta and Qatar as vital for the region and Libya.

Together both countries could make a significant difference for the Libyan people in overcoming the challenges they were currently facing, he said.

The visit builds on the strong Malta-Qatari relations and sets the foundation for concrete bilateral cooperation in assisting the Libyan people.

Technical teams from both sides have already been set up in order to work out the details of this collaboration.