Media release
14 July, 2009
Visit to Malta
I visited Malta on 13 and 14 July. My visit was the first by an Australian Foreign Minister since 1992.
Yesterday I met with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Dr Tonio Borg. We discussed advances in the bilateral relationship and Australia-EU relations, developments in the Middle East, and our combined work in the Commonwealth and the United Nations. I thanked Dr Borg for Malta's support of Australia's membership of the Asia-Europe Meeting process.
Today I met Prime Minister Dr Lawrence Gonzi and President George Abela and underlined the close community ties between the two countries.
I laid a wreath at the Pieta War Cemetery to commemorate the Australian servicemen who died in Malta during the First and Second World Wars. Maltese and Australian forces fought side by side in the Gallipoli Campaign and in the defence of Malta in World War Two.
Yesterday I met with Francis Portelli, Director of Virtu Ferries and toured one of the ferries produced for the company by Western Australia's Austal Ships. The high speed ferry provides the Malta-Sicily service. Austal recently won a major contract worth $100 million for the supply of another high speed ferry for the same route. The same company also won a contract worth $18.5 million to build four patrol boats for the Maltese Armed Forces.
I also visited the monument to the 310 Maltese child migrants that were resettled in Western Australia in the 1950s and 1960s, who made a contribution to community life in Australia. There is a similar monument in Fremantle.
My visit to Malta follows on from the visit to Australia earlier this year of former President of Malta Fenech Adami, who was accompanied by Foreign Minister Borg.
Media inquiries:
- Mr Smith's office 02 6277 7500
- Departmental Media Liaison 02 6261 1555