Having communicated in detail the extraordinary assistance of the Government of Malta, I am writing on behalf of President Obama and Secretary Clinton to express the heartfelt gratitude of the United States for Malta’s substantial humanitarian assistance in the provision of medical care, security, and immigration services for those Americans evacuating the present violence in Libya.

At times like this, it is important that all Maltese and Americans differentiate the people of Libya who are oft described as generous in nature from a murderous tyrant. A Maltese passenger on our rescue ferry made the point nicely in recounting how some Libyan guards assisted her board our boat. In my daily prayers for the safety of all aboard the ferry, I counted on that same human decency to transcend momentary ideological madness.

As many know, I have been studying Maltese, and while I cannot ask either President Obama or Secretary Clinton to have more trust in my translation than my linguistic skills warrant, let me rely on a few words in Malti, hoping that when understood I have done more than just order lunch:

Malta wriet għal darb’oħra li għalkemm ġeografikament hija żgħira, il-poplu tagħha għandu qalb kbira u m’hemmx dubbju li huwa denju tad-deskrizzjoni li tinsab fl-Atti tal-Appostli li tgħid “urew magħna ħlewwa li ma bħalha”. U hekk ikun!

And a final word of thanks to the many Maltese citizens who recently supported Father Mintoff’s John XXIII Peace Lab in Hal Far by making a donation to attend the premiere of The Way starring Martin Sheen. Father Mintoff’s work on behalf of refugees and others displaced from their homes has been valued for many years, and soon may be in even greater need. The movie was eċċellenti, Martin and grandson Taylor Estevez were generous with their time, and all that is left to say is: Prosit!

In gratitude,

Douglas W. Kmiec

US Ambassador