Secretary of State of Portugal to visit Malta

The Secretary of State for European Affairs of Portugal, H.E. Dr. Francisco Seixas Da Costa, will arrive in Malta on Thursday 17th June for official talks.

The Secretary of State will call on the Prime Minister and will also have talks with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Joe Borg. During his stay in Malta, the Secretary of State will address the House Committee for Foreign Affairs and is also expected to call on the President of Malta.

The Honorary Consul of Portugal for Malta, Dr. Austin Sammut, on Thursday, called on the Minister of Foreign Affairs to discuss the forthcoming visit to Malta by the Secretary of State. During this meeting, Dr. Sammut presented the Minister of Foreign Affairs with a publication entitled, "Enlargement of the European Union and the Experience of Portugal's accession negotiations", by Pedro Alvares.

Speech by the Minister for Tourism, The Hon. Michael. A. Refalo, at the opening of the 44^thGenerali European Bridge Championships at the Upper Barakka, Valletta

On behalf of the people and Government of Malta I welcome all participants, organisers and visitors to Malta here for the 44^th Generali European Bridge Championships.

This is the first time that Malta has hosted such a high profile Bridge event and by my understanding it should certainly not be the last.

The organisation of this event in Malta holds a special significance for me personally as it was way back in 1992 after a casual conversation with my good friends Margaret Parnis England and Mario Dix, the local promoters of this tournament, that I realised the great potential of and possibilities for bridge holidays in Malta.

Since then Margaret Parnis England and Mario Dix, not without problems, have organised a number of satellite international tournaments in Malta and groups of bridge players convening at our hotels have annually been on the increase.

Some Government's assistance, through my Ministry and that responsible for Sport has always been forthcoming but I understand that Mrs. Parnis England has regularly personally underwritten the financial risk involved.

Bridge has now joined the list of motivations and other good reasons for visiting Malta. A good third of our visitors belong to the special interest travel segment.

It was therefore to my great delight that in late 1997 I heard from Mrs. Parnis England that Malta was to be the chosen venue for the European Bridge Championships 1999. My Party was then in opposition and I made it a point to contact my predecessor the Hon. Karmenu Vella, then Minister for Tourism, to endorse and solicit his support for this initiative. I believe that a sincere vote of thanks is also due to my Parliamentary colleague, Mr. Vella, and to the National Tourism Organisation of Malta for actively giving their support to the realisation and holding of this event.

We have here over a thousand participants and friends from thirty eight European countries who will vie among themselves in the different categories of these Championships and compete to qualify for the coming World Championships in Bermuda.

For the next fortnight most of you, either as national teams or individuals, will be concentrating hard on your game and bidding to outwit and outplay your rivals. You will however, I am sure, find some time to take a good look at Malta and meet my countrymen and women.

Most probably many of you have never been to Malta before. You may very possibly have your own perceptions about us and about our country. It is however only after you make your own ‘Malta experience' that you will find out what Malta and the Maltese are.

Malta, as you will see, is a very ancient, vibrant and safe country with a history and civilisation which go back seven millennia. Wherever you go you will see a contrast between old and the new. Modern Malta, on the threshold of the 21^st century, wears its millennial heritage proudly, clearly treasures its customs and traditions, but at the same time, guided by sage experience and driven by exhuberant youth, forges ahead bravely into the adventurous new world ahead.

Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen,

I thank you again for choosing Malta as the venue for your 1999 Championships. I wish you all success and enjoy your stay.