Small States can contribute a great deal to achieve results on difficult issues because they pose no threat and have no hidden agendas, Foreign Minister Michael Frendo said yesterday.

“Malta as a small state is doing its part and it is in this light that we launched the Malta Initiative aimed at starting a pre-emptive dialogue between the European Union and moderate Arab states through the Arab League. Malta is also ready to host such a conference,” he said.

Foreign Minister Frendo was delivering the opening address at the Diplomacy for Small States Conference which is meeting in Malta during these two days.

Dr Frendo said that diplomacy needs an environment in which it can be effective, particularly an environment of multilateralism which is at the heart of how small states can function.

Small states have a number of things in common, particularly in the context of small states diplomacy. Being small, they pose no threat to anybody but at the same time they have to ensure that their voice is heard and to do this they have to be around the table where decisions are taken.

“This is exactly what Malta is doing in the European Union. It sits with other nations, gives its contribution and when necessary, fights for its patch, and gets it,” he said.

Small states also have things which are not common to each other, he said, adding that they exist within a particular region and have their own characteristics which give them certain advantages and sometimes even disadvantages.

“Malta, being in the centre of the Mediterranean is conditioned by its geographical situation.

In a regional and international context, small states can and should be used to bring results in difficult issues where bigger nations find it much more difficult to reach agreement. There are situations where small states can bring tremendous benefits to the international community, he added.

Minister Frendo thanked the Diplo Foundation for choosing Malta for this conference as this would strengthen the particularly good relations which already exist between Malta and the foundation.