VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Maltese Prime Minister Robert Abela welcomed US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken into his office in Valletta on Wednesday evening. Blinken is in Malta to participate at the OSCE ministerial conference. Malta is hosting the OSCE summit as it is currently chairing the organisation, having assumed its leadership after Russia vetoed Estoniàs bid to chair it. The two-day summit will bring together more than 800 representatives of the organisation’s 57 member states. On Thursday and Friday, the Ministerial Council of the OSCE will discuss the war in Ukraine among others.
Blinken thanked Malta for “stepping in” to head the OSCE (Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe). “What Malta has done – stepping in at the last minute to take up the chairmanship – is extraordinary… Not only to take it on but to do it so well”.
Blinken also commended Malta for its chairmanship of the UN Security Council up until a few months ago. “The fact you have taken on both of these assignments at the same time speaks volumes,” Blinken said, adding that the relationship between Malta and the US has grown stronger and deeper in recent years.
Reacting, Maltese PM Abela said he was “very proud” to have collaborated on the council but wished “we could achieve more”.
Issues concerning the Middle East, Ukraine, Libya and transatlantic cooperation were discussed behind close doors.
While acknowledging the ceasefire in Lebanon, Robert Abela said Malta will continue calling for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, adding Malta will remain in favour of a two-state solution. He also referred to the recent attacks on the energy infrastructure in Ukraine, noting the need for a just peace deal.
Abela also spoke of the strong bilateral relations between the two countries. “Our robust ties are rooted in shared values and respect for fundamental human rights,” he said, adding that these ties included strong economic ties through direct foreign investment of over 2 billion per year.
Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov, who is not subject to any sanctions, will also be attending the OSCE conference. This is Lavrov’s first trip to a European country since Russia invaded Ukraine in early 2022. A decision opposed by Poland, Lithuania and Estonia. On Wednesday, Malta revoked a visa granted to Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova, saying three EU member states refused to agree to exempt her from a travel ban and to be granted permission to enter Malta, which is part of the EU’s Schengen zone. Sources quoted by the local media mentioned Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia as the opposing countries.
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