Labour’s spokesman on foreign affairs, Leo Brincat, yesterday expressed the hope that if there were a change in government at the next elections, the same spirit of consensus that existed at present in parliament’s Committee on Foreign and European Affairs would prevail “both at committee level and even more so at government level”.

“Calls to this effect for such an undertaking have remained unanswered,” Mr Brincat said. He was speaking at a news conference during which the committee, under the chairmanship of Nationalist MP Jason Azzopardi, presented its annual report for this year.

Mr Brincat regretted that although there was an undertaking that Malta’s Permanent Representative to the EU, Richard Cachia Caruana, was meant to brief the committee regularly and periodically, he had only done so once this year, in April, “which makes no sense and is unacceptable, given that today the EU is an important component of the island’s foreign and domestic policies”.

Introducing the annual report, Dr Azzopardi said this was the fourth time the Committee on Foreign and European Affairs was presenting its report of work done throughout the year, since it was first put together in October 2003.

“During 2007 we had 22 formal meetings, and kept up a very good rhythm of work, especially if one compares it with the average of eight meetings a year in the preceding years, since when the Committee was set up in 1995.”

He said that Kofi Annan, the former United Nations Secretary General, would be visiting Malta next year, though he did not give further details.

Giving some details of the committee’s work during the year, Dr Azzopardi referred to meetings committee members had had with foreign representatives, including ambassadors and academics, and an hour-long video conference with the EU’s Javier Solana.

Since May 2004 the Scrutiny Committee had considered about 1,144 new documents, out of which over 1,100 proposals have been approved. In 2007 it considered at least 350 documents which appeared for the first time as well as a number of documents which had not been approved in the previous years.

Dr Azzopardi said that despite all the meetings which took place during the year “we never needed to take one vote. Although people out there might have the impression that this is a place of division and disagreement, this Committee proves that all of its members have the national interest at heart, and are able to work hard as a team”.

Nationalist MP Mario Demarco agreed and said: “Although we may have different opinions, we have all worked as a team and reached unanimous decisions. We look forward to seeing the fruits of our meetings and reciprocal visits, especially with the Gulf and Saudi Arabian parliamentary delegations.”

Dr Azzopardi said two more research analysts had joined them, bringing the total to five in all, but the workload had increased and they needed more researchers, as well as a separate legal affairs committee to give legal advice regarding the subsidiarity and proportionality of Brussels legislation.

Nationalist MP Clyde Puli, and Labour MP Jose Herrera were also present.