This came to light during an hour-long meeting held on Tuesday where Foreign Affairs Minister Michael Frendo met his Portuguese counterpart to discuss bilateral and commercial relations between Malta and Portugal and the need for general cooperation in the Mediterranean.

The two ministers also spoke of the Euromed Process, the European Union Mediterranean Policy and the possibility of commercial joint ventures between Maltese and Portuguese companies to operate in the North African market.

They also agreed to sign the bilateral agreement between Malta and Portugal for combating drug trafficking, crime and terrorism as soon as possible.

Minister Frendo also attended a press conference yesterday that launched the Portuguese-Maltese Chamber of Commerce supported by the Corinthia Group and AirMalta. Based on an initiative of the Maltese Honorary Consul for the Azores Augusto Duarte de Andrade and Prof. Salvino Busuttil, Maltese Ambassador to Portugal, this Chamber was set up to coordinate various activities aimed at creating an awareness amongst the commercial community and promoting the possibility of commercial activities between Malta and Portugal.

Foreign Minister Frendo was in Lisbon accompanying President Edward Fenech Adami for the inauguration of the new Corinthia Alfa Hotel in the heart of the commercial centre of Lisbon.