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EC-LAS Liaison Office officially opens in Malta
(Embassy of Malta)
Updated: 2009-10-15 16:11

Today at 1200hrs the new office for Euro-Arab cooperation was inaugurated in Malta. This is a first for Malta and a first for the European Union. Through this office the European Commission is formalising its relations with the Arab world in a way that it has never done before. This is most definitely a concrete recognition of the European Union's renewed commitment to the Arab world as a concrete partner.

EC-LAS Liaison Office officially opens in Malta
The official opening of the EC-LAS Liaison Office in Malta on Oct 14, 2009. [Embassy of Malta]

The EC-LAS Liaison Office was opened by the Prime Minister of Malta, Dr. Lawrence Gonzi. The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Malta, Dr. Tonio Borg delivered the opening address followed by H.E. Amre Moussa, Secretary General of the League of Arab States and the Hon. Benita Ferrero Waldner, the European Union's Commissioner for External Relations.

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The EC-LAS Liaison Office was born out of a Maltese initiative in February 2008 at the EU-League of Arab States Ministerial Conference held in Malta. For Malta it is the natural conclusion to decades of foreign policy centred on Europe and the Mediterranean. As the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Malta, Dr. Tonio Borg said poignantly in his speech this morning 'we are a small island state with a large heart –one that has, for much of its political history, sought to bridge the cultural and political divide and bring Europe closer to the Arab world – not only in words but in action.'

Whilst acknowledging the daily tragedy that is occurring in the Middle East and reiterating Malta's commitment toward a two-state solution, Minister Borg called for relations between the European Union and the Arab League no to be conditioned by it. Cooperation on issues of common concern such as tourism, trade and development as well as education and sport should proceed on a practical level in order for both sides to reap the benefits.

This Office will offer a new opportunity for all parties to come together and dialogue on issues of mutual concern. Such a process cannot be sporadic but should be formalised and made part of the institutional structure of the European Commission.

In conclusion, Minister Borg called on all parties to avoid being conditioned by the past and move forward together united in our diversity. 'Let us not be afraid to dream. On the contrary let us dream of a better tomorrow. A tomorrow that augurs well for the future of our region and for the lives of its citizens.'