CYPRIOT MINISTER OF THE INTERIOR WELCOMED TO MALTA

CYPRIOT MINISTER OF THE INTERIOR WELCOMED TO MALTA

The Minister for the Interior of the Republic of Cyprus, Dr. Christodoulous Christodoulou, said that he was very happy to be given the opportunity to visit Malta, knowing that Malta and Cyprus have common goals and interests, both are small countries, and both in the process to join the EU.

Minister Christodoulou said this when he was welcomed to Malta by Minister for Justice and Local Government Dr. Austin Gatt. Dr. Christodoulou said that "during the centuries and especially during the last one, my country Cyprus repeatedly has identified this strong support from this very friendly country of Malta. Assistance has been given to us in critical times, still been given and I have to say we are grateful for this." He added that both countries are looking for further strengthening the very good relations in the fields of local authority as well as in other fields.

Regarding EU membership, the Cypriot Minister said that "although we are small countries, both Malta and Cyprus belong to Europe. We have contributed in what is called Western civilisation, we are an integrated part of this civilisation and that's why we should become full members of the EU." He added that there is mutual help between both countries for this to happen rather than competition.

In his welcoming statement Dr. Gatt said that Minister Christodoulou expressed fully the sentiment of the Maltese Government in so far as, both countries share tradition, culture, an ex-colonial past, and both have very much followed the same roots.

"Today we are both anxious to join the EU, for exactly the same reasons that the Minister mentioned, rather than staying on the economic criteria why we should join, it is a matter of right for us, we are both European peoples, and as the Minister said, both have contributed greatly to the Western European civilisation."

Dr. Gatt said that both peoples think that their rightful place is in Europe and both Governments are both actively helping each other to achieve this goal.

"I would like to say also that there are very close bonds between Malta and Cyprus, there has always been traditional bonds, there are also a lot of personal bonds, as Prime Minister Fenech Adami and President Klerides are personal friends, and I'm sure that this friendship will definitely develop in the right way on our route toward Europe," added Dr. Gatt.

Minister Gatt concluded that Minister Christodoulou's visit is a first step to start a process whereby the local councils of Malta and Gozo and the local authorities in Cyprus will learn more from each other, will become closer to each other, as they become more aware that there are various experiences which can be exchanged.