The Spanish King, Juan Carlos I, arrived in Malta yesterday afternoon for a two-day visit.

He is accompanied by the Spanish Foreign Affairs Minister Miguel Moratinos who is expected to sign a number of cooperation agreements this morning.

King Juan Carlos was greeted by President George Abela and Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi. A banquet dinner was held in his honour at The Palace in the evening.

His wife, Queen Sofia, who was to accompany the King, cancelled her visit to Malta yesterday morning as she was unwell.

“Malta has ancient ties with Spain, going back two-and-a-half centuries, throughout which the Maltese islands gradually developed into a small European principality,” said Dr Abela at the state dinner.

Dr Abela reminded King Juan Carlos that his grandfather King Alfonso XIII had visited Malta in 1927. Before that, the last Spanish King to visit these islands was Alfonso V, King of Aragon, who stopped on his way to a military campaign in Djerba in 1432. He had stayed for some time with a noble family in Mdina.

Today, Malta and Spain are equal partners in the European Union family of free and democratic nations. They cooperate well within the EU context, on bilateral and multilateral levels, as well as in Mediterranean fora in the interest of peace, stability and progress in the Mediterranean region, Dr Abela said.

He told the King that while his visit was short, it was highly significant. It came at a time when Spain was preparing to take over EU Presidency in January.

Dr Abela explained how relations progressed over the years. At a political level, exchanges were at the highest level, he noted. This visit, as well as the recent meeting which Prime Minister Gonzi had with his Spanish counterpart José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero earlier this month, was a clear manifestation of this.

Bilateral relations between Malta and Spain are based on a solid legal infrastructure made up of a number of agreements in various sectors of mutual interest. Moreover, new agreements in the fields of education, science and culture, merchant shipping and cooperation between diplomatic schools, will be signed today.

Close cooperation also results on a number of issues concerning the Mediterranean, such as in the fight against illegal immigration and the promotion of the politics of moderation with the Arab world.

“Malta is European but also a Mediterranean country right in the centre of this sea,” Dr Abela remarked. However, this position has also placed us on the route of illegal migration from south to north, very similar to the situation of Spain.

Dr Abela therefore expressed his wish for a permanent solution of effective burden sharing with our European partners. He was also confident the Spanish Presidency will consider this problem as a priority in the interest of all parties, including the unfortunate migrants.

Dr Abela reminded the King about Malta's bid to host the European Asylum Support Office since it feels itself qualified and equipped to contribute to a just solution towards a better and a more secure Europe.

Malta and Spain also benefit from tourism, investment in industry, as well as the cultural aspect and bilateral exchanges.