Mr Arafat consulted Prof. de Marco and Mr Mifsud on what sources described as “developments that might have an effect on the Palestinian community”.
When asked by The Malta Independent on Sunday, both Prof. de Marco and Mr Mifsud confirmed that Mr Arafat had spoken to them.
Prof. de Marco said: “Mr Arafat called me while I was on my way from the Miriam Gauci-Joseph Calleja concert at the Mediterranean Conference Centre (which ended at around 11pm on Friday) to the Upper Barrakka.
“He expressed his best wishes to the Maltese people on joining the European Union and augured that Malta would give its contribution to resolve the Middle East crisis.
“I have always maintained that Malta in the EU can contribute to find a fair solution in the Middle East situation based on the ‘peace of the brave’ framework.”
On his part, Mr Mifsud said: “I spoke to Yasser Arafat at around 10:15 on Friday evening. He gave his best wishes to the people of Malta and Gozo on the occasion of Workers’ Day.
“Mr Arafat expressed his satisfaction that with Malta joining the EU, the voice of the Palestinians will be heard in EU institutions in a fair manner because the Maltese people are aware of the cries for help and aspirations of the Palestinians.
“Mr Arafat thanked the Malta Labour Party and the General Workers’ Union for the solidarity they have expressed with Palestinian workers who are facing a huge problem with unemployment, which has reached 70 per cent in some towns.”
Asked by The Malta Independent on Sunday, Mr Mifsud said he could not reveal what these developments were, but added that he would be reporting the matter to the Mediterranean Committee of the Socialist International which will be meeting in the next few weeks.
This is not the first time that Mr Arafat has spoken with Prof. de Marco and Mr Mifsud, both of whom have a keen interest in the Middle East.
When Prof. de Marco was President of Malta, Mr Arafat and the President communicated frequently, most remarkably in September 2002 when Mr Arafat was holed up at his compound in Ramallah – the Muqata – under siege by the Israeli army.