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Saudi Arabia and Malta join hands in fight against drugs, organized crime

By GHAZANFAR ALI KHAN RIYADH: Saudi Arabia and Malta signed on Tuesday night an agreement to fight drug trafficking and organized crime in Riyadh.

The two countries also entered into a new era of economic relations by signing an avoidance of double taxation treaty on Wednesday with a renewed pledge to strengthen trade and investment ties further.

On behalf of Saudi Arabia, the cooperation agreement to curb illicit trafficking of drugs and psychotropic substances and to fight organized crime was signed by Prince Ahmed, deputy minister of interior.

"Tonio Borg, deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs, endorsed the agreement from Maltese side," said Maltese Ambassador Frank Galea.

Galea said Minister of Finance Ibrahim Al-Assaf signed the double taxation treaty for the Kingdom, while Borg again represented Malta.

"The agreement will provide a significant boost to bilateral trade and investment flows," said Borg, while speaking on this occasion.

The deputy premier also disclosed plans on the visits of high-ranking Maltese officials, including the head of state in the near future.

Referring to discussions with Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal, Borg said he would welcome the opening of a Saudi embassy in Malta.

"This came up during our talks," said Borg, adding that Kuwait recently opened its embassy in Valletta.

The deputy premier, who also met with officials of the Higher Education Ministry and the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday, said Malta, a southern European nation situated strategically in the center of the Mediterranean near Libya and Tunisia, has an embassy in Riyadh and an honorary consulate in Jeddah. Currently, the Saudi Embassy in Rome is also accredited to Malta.

He also called for promoting cooperation between the Riyadh-based Institute of Diplomatic Studies and the Velletta-based Mediterranean Academy of Diplomatic Studies (MEDAC), a higher learning institution offering advanced degrees in diplomacy and conflict resolution with a focus on Mediterranean issues.

Borg said cooperation between the two countries was in place and this could be further reinforced by establishing a Saudi chair at the MEDAC.

A premier diplomatic academy, MEDAC was established back in 1990 in line with an agreement between the governments of Malta and Switzerland. The Geneva Graduate Institute of International Studies (HEI) was among its first foreign partners. More recently, MEDAC concluded an agreement with the German Academic Exchange Service and established a German Chair in Peace Studies and Conflict Prevention.

On a regional level, Malta seeks more engagement while its role, of late, is growing both politically and commercially. The country is also looking at the possibility of exploring petroleum opportunities in waters adjoining the borders of Italy and Libya.

"Malta has made a proposal to Libya and Italy as a possible solution to the continental shelf issue, which has been pending for years", said Borg, adding that an agreement is needed for oil exploration in the area.

He said that there was a possibility of oil being discovered in unmarked Maltese, Libyan and Italian waters. Malta, Borg said, believed "the best solution was joint exploration by all the countries concerned, but this could not be done before an agreement was reached." He said none of the three countries (Malta, Libya or Italy) were drilling for oil in the contested areas at the moment.

© Arab News 2012