Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov this morning expressed Russia's gratitude to Malta for its cooperation in resolving the case of the MV 'Arctic Sea', the cargo ship which went missing in the Atlantic this summer.

"The problem was successfully resolved, and our productive and friendly cooperation contributed to this," Lavrov told a news conference after a meeting with Foreign Minister Tonio Borg in Moscow, RIA Novosti reported.

The Maltese-registered Arctic Sea disappeared in the Atlantic on July 24 while carrying timber from Finland to Algeria. It was intercepted by the Russian Navy off West Africa on August 17, when eight alleged hijackers were arrested. The ship was transferred from the Russian Navy to its owners off Malta last month. The ship entered Grand Harbour following an inspection by Maltese officials.

Dr Borg is in Moscow for talks with Mr Lavrov dealing mostly with trade and investment relations and tackling organised crime.

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