The Tunisian Parliament last week ratified a treaty on friendship and cooperation that had been signed in June 2005 and ratified by the Maltese Parliament last year.

The agreement, signed by foreign ministers Michael Frendo and Abdelbaki Hermassi binds the two countries to seek amicable solutions to any disputes that could crop up.

The two countries agreed to hold an annual meeting between the respective prime ministers and a six-monthly meeting between the foreign ministers.

The accord also lays down that there should be dialogue between the two parliaments, professional organisations, universities and the private sectors, and that there should be financial and economic cooperation in the best interest of the two countries.

The agreement also provides for cooperation in the services and manufacturing sectors, investment and that joint ventures should be set up by entrepreneurs from both countries for the benefit of small and medium enterprises. Apart from this, common infrastructural projects in the energy, transport, communications, fisheries, environment protection, pollution, and science and technology should be encouraged, the agreement says.

The agreement stipulates that there should also be cooperation between the armed forces of both countries, and in education and culture. The two sides also agreed to the setting up of the Malta-Tunisia Business Council and to cooperate in the fight against terrorism, crime and drug trafficking.