“My message is very simple, the purpose of my visit is to come and say thank you to the people of Malta,” Admiral James Stavidris, Commander US European Command and Nato‘s Supreme Allied Commander Europe said yesterday.

Addressing the press outside St John’s Co-Cathedral, during his short visit to Malta yesterday, Admiral Stavidris said they were grateful that they had been able to land Nato jets in Malta in emergency landings.

He said they were appreciative of the responsible and professional assistance offered by the Maltese during the landings of these aircraft, which were necessary for refuelling and other technical problems.

As a Senior Officer at Nato, Admiral Stavidris said he was very happy with the US engagement with Malta, and the professional response to the humanitarian crisis, during the time of operations in Libya.

In a meeting with Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi at Castille, Admiral Stavidris said that Malta had reacted with the utmost professionalism in the humanitarian aid it offered during the turmoil in Libya, even in terms of receiving the evacuees from the war torn country.

Admiral Stavidris said he had held very productive talks with the Armed Forces of Malta Brigadier, Martin Xuereb and Director for Defence Matters, Vanessa Frazier. He said they were proud of the engagement between the US and Malta, and would continue to build on it.

Commenting on the fact that Admiral Stavidris is an avid historian, Dr Gonzi said that Malta is a case study of strategic locality, a fact which he said is recognised as both an asset and a responsibility.

Dr Gonzi said the visit came at a crucial time, in view of the phase we have been living through since December, following developments in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya.

There have been requests to Malta to provide support, and despite the islands limited resources, the Maltese people rose to the occasion in an admirable way, Dr Gonzi said.

The US and Malta have worked closely together, he said, adding that Malta was very grateful to the assistance offered in terms of illegal immigration and in the training offered to Maltese soldiers.

“I recognise that you are representing a country Malta has worked closely with,” he said, expressing an intention to continue to coordinate and work closely with the US, especially at such crucial times.

Admiral Stavidris arrived in Malta yesterday morning, and started with a tour of the AFM maritime base at Haywharf.