OPR- Friday, 7th May 2004, Valletta

The President of Malta, H.E. Dr. Edward Fenech-Adami received H.E. Mr. Awad Yakhlef, Ambassador of Palestine at The Palace, Valletta. During this meeting, the President was presented with two messages from Palestine President Yasser Arafat.

In his first message President Arafat conveyed on behalf of the Palestinian people his congratulations to H.E. Dr. Edward Fenech-Adami on his appointment as the President of the Republic of Malta.

While expressing his ‘great pride in the solid friendship, solidarity and cooperation relations which exists between the two countries’, President Arafat sustained his confidence that these relations will strengthen and develop in order to contribute in the causes of freedom justice and peace in the region.

In a separate message, President Arafat conveyed his compliments on the occasion of Malta joining the European Union. He said that this membership will contribute to ‘enhance the role of Malta and the respect and importance that it enjoys regionally and internationally. Moreover, it will make the European Union more active and effective, economically and politically at the international arena.’