News

On 2 March, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Antanas Valionis who was on an official visit to the Republic of Malta, met with the country’s Acting President George Hyzler, Prime Minister Edward Fenech Adami, Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Borg and leader of the Maltese opposition Labour Party Alfred Sant. During the meetings with the highest Maltese officials it was pointed out that the bilateral relations between Lithuania and Malta were excellent. The officials also discussed the most important European Union (EU) issues, including the course of the Intergovernmental Conference and the new EU financial perspective, and exchanged opinions on the main issues and ways of dealing with them after both countries become full-fledged members of the European Union on 1 May. In the context of relations with the enlarged European Union’s neighbours, the importance of Lithuania as an expert in maintaining relations with Russia, Belarus and Ukraine was stated and the experience of Malta in cooperation with Tunisia, Libya and other Northern African countries was underlined. During the visit, Antanas Valionis presented Lithuanian Honorary Consul in Malta Anthony Zahra with the Cross of the Knight of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas for fostering and strengthening the bilateral Lithuanian-Maltese economic and cultural relations. The Lithuanian Honorary Consulate in Malta was opened in 1994. On 3 March, Minister Valionis returned to Vilnius.