Minister yesterday at Castille. The Southeast Asian tragedy, the full impact of which still has to unravel, brought about a surge of generosity, but has also put in the limelight the indispensable function of the consul at times like this, he said.

This meeting follows that Dr Gonzi had last Wednesday with Ambassadors accredited to Malta.

“Such a meeting gives consuls the opportunity to bring personally to the Prime Minister the best wishes of the respective governments of countries they work in,” Mr Gauci Maistre explained.

The work of consuls is being laden with increasing responsibility and is becoming increasingly complex, especially with issues such as that of refugees, and with problems between couples of mixed nationality. However, because of the confidential nature of the work, few people realise this and have the opportunity to appreciate it, he added.

He commented on what he called the myriad of man-made disasters, such as wars and armed conflicts, that are cropping up from time to time in different parts of the world, and appealed with the Prime Minister to make pressure on an international basis to find a solution to this pressing problem.

The Consular Corps yesterday also called on Foreign Affairs Minister Michael Frendo and today will visit President Edward Fenech Adami.