Malta is offering what is described as ‘logistic support’ to the 7,000-troop EU-UN mission to police the ceasefire in Lebanon.

Agreed in Brussels on Friday, Italy will be sending 3,000 troops, starting on Tuesday, and France will ultimately provide a further 2,000. Spain will be sending between 1,000 and 1,200 soldiers, Poland 500, Belgium 400, and Finland 250. Germany has promised naval support and Britain six Jaguar aircraft and three other planes plus a destroyer, eventually.

Speaking to The Malta Independent on Sunday, Parliamentary Secretary Tony Abela, who represented Malta at Friday’s Brussels meeting, said that Malta has offered its facilities to any ship wanting to stop over in Malta on its way to and from Lebanon. Cyprus made the same offer, Dr Abela said.