President of Malta George Vella received Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom James Cleverly at Sant’Anton Palace for an exchange on issues of bilateral and international importance.
At the outset, President Vella referred to the Bilateral Cooperation Agreement between Malta and the United Kingdom, signed earlier in the day, as a further milestone in the upgrade and amplification of relations between the two countries. The President welcomed this development and commended the results-oriented text that will further consolidate the excellent relations already in place.
The war in Ukraine featured prominently in the exchanges with the Foreign Secretary underlining appreciation of the fact that, despite its neutrality, Malta has remained unequivocal in its condemnation of the Russian invasion and was providing tangible assistance to the people of Ukraine.
The two interlocutors stressed the importance of multilateral cooperation between the UK and Malta, stating that this will be taken to an even higher level during Malta’s term on the UN Security Council in 2023-2024. The Commonwealth of Nations also provides an excellent platform for cooperation on a vast array of pressing global matters, especially those affecting Small States.
Developments in the Mediterranean and the Sahel region, together with the latest migration-related scenario were also discussed.
President Vella was accompanied by Minister for Foreign and European Affairs and Trade Ian Borg during this meeting.
Source: Office of the Prime Minister