The Labour Party yesterday sought a clarification of remarks made by Malta’s new ambassador in Washington, Mark Miceli Farrugia, as reported by the Department of Information.

Mr Miceli Farrugia presented his credentials to President Bush on 25 July.

Leo Brincat, MLP spokesman for foreign affairs and information technology, said that as a party committed to strengthening bilateral relations between Malta and the US in all sectors, the MLP would appreciate a clarification of the statement made for the occasion by Mr Miceli Farrugia.

If the Department of Information had fully reported the new ambassador’s remarks, Mr Brincat said, the ambassador had referred only to the need of cooperation with the US in the fight against global terrorism and weapons of mass destruction, without at all referring to the two requests Malta has pending with the US, about the need for an agreement on the removal of double taxation, and about Malta’s entry into the Visa waiver programme.

If the ambassador had mentioned these aspects as well at his meeting with the President, it would be in the public interest to say what was said by Malta. On the other hand, if no reference was made to these two matters, which were a priority for us and affected us closely, then Malta will have lost an important occasion to push these two issues.