Malta and Croatia have signed an agreement on cooperation between the two countries following bilateral talks between Maltese Foreign Affairs Minister Michael Frendo and his counterpart Minister Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic during her two-day official visit in Malta.
The agreement states that both countries are to hold annual bilateral consultations to examine all aspects of their relations and to exchange views on regional and international issues of mutual interest concerning the possibility of taking joint initiatives.
In this context, the agreement allows for exchange of public officials from the respective administrations. Bilateral consultations and the exchange of public officials are expected to cover political, economic, scientific, technological, cultural and co-operation issues particularly in the light of European integration process and cooperation in the Mediterranean region.
During a joint press conference, Minister Frendo announced that Malta and Croatia have also agreed to cooperate on illegal immigration in international fora where both countries participate.
He explained that this agreement on illegal immigration will serve in particular to raise the awareness on the need for a holistic approach in dealing with illegal immigration and international criminal organisations trafficking and smuggling human beings.
With regard trade and investment Dr Frendo said that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will shortly issue a call for expressions of interest from Maltese business persons interested in doing business with Croatia.
“We have identified areas such as tourism, infrastructure, information and communication technologies as potential areas of trade and investment between the two countries” said Minister Frendo, adding that similar business delegations organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to other countries, have resulted in very positive experiences for the participating Maltese entrepreneurs.
He also commented that Malta and Croatia are distinctly similar in that they are two countries of the Mediterranean region that straddle cultures together and serve as gateways to other regions, Malta as a gateway to North Africa and in particular, Libya while Croatia as a gateway to South East Europe.”
On the issue of Croatia’s application for membership in the European Union and the on-going negotiations with the European Commission, Minister Frendo said, “Malta will continue to support Croatia’s application for membership in the European Union. Croatia’s membership will serve as a clear message for peace and stability in the Western Balkan region.”
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