Although Malta has made substantial progress in the road map to introduce the visa waiver programme with regard to travel to the United States, the introduction of biometric passports remains a prerequisite for such an end to be achieved, US Ambassador Molly Bordonaro said yesterday.

Speaking to journalists at a press conference held at the embassy in Floriana, Ms Bordonaro said that it is up to the government to introduce this system which is also required according to the Schengen Agreement. She also said that discussions on the double taxation agreement are continuing with a solution, hopefully to be found by the end of the year.

The ambassador also referred to the assistance provided by the United States government so that 100 refugees could be sent to the US to begin a new life there. She referred to the first group of 22 refugees who left the island earlier yesterday morning with the rest to follow in the coming days.

Ms Bordonaro said that the US would be expanding its assistance regarding immigration but did not give any specific details when asked. She insisted that this first repatriation of refugees shows the commitment of the US in assisting Malta with the immigration problem.

Ms Bordonaro also spoke about President Bush’s State of the Union Address during which he reaffirmed the United State’s commitment to stay the course on Iraq with the new additional injection of troops. She said that the US was committed to dialogue with Iraq’s neighbours to find a peaceful solution to the violence and unrest in Iraq.

Asked by The Malta Independent on how can the US engage in talks with Iraq’s neighbours when it is currently not talking to Iran and Syria, the country’s two largest neighbours, Ms Bordonaro insisted that the way forward with regards to Iran was clear and that is to stop nuclear testing as the international community has told it repeatedly. She did not elaborate on Syria.

Ms Bordonaro also mentioned the president’s commitment to reduce dependence on fossil fuels by 20 per cent in the next 10 years. She described this as probably the biggest environmental commitment ever made by a government on the question of environment protection.