Malta–Portugal relations

Maltese-Portuguese relations

Malta	Portugal

Malta-Portugal relations are foreign relations between Malta and Portugal. Malta has an embassy in Lisbon and 4 honorary consulates (in Algarve, Azores, Lisbon and Porto). Portugal has an embassy and an honorary consulate in Valletta. Both countries are full members of the European Union and of the Union for the Mediterranean.

State visits

Eddie Fenech Adami, the President of Malta visited Portugal between November 11, 2008 and November 11, 2008.^[1][2] President Adamia made a two-day state visit to Portugal in June 2009. During his visit he held talks with his Portuguese counterpart Aníbal Cavaco Silva, the Prime Minister José Sócrates, and the President of Parliament Jaime José de Matos da Gama.^[3]

Trade

In 2007, Antonio Russo Dias, the Portuguese Ambassador to Malta said: "I don’t think that the fact that Portugal has the EU Presidency now will be a factor in improving trade and economic links between Malta and Portugal. However there is a bilateral plan to improve these relations with the recent opening of embassies in the respective countries so, yes there certainly is the will to improve links. There might be increased awareness of Portugal through the EU Presidency but not a direct link, at least in my opinion".^[4] Portuguese Banif Bank opened its first branch in Malta in 2008 and projected that it will have up to "25 more branches within five years and secure 10 per cent of the market".^[5]

Diplomatic relations

Russo Dias was Portugal's first resident ambassador to Malta, ending his mission in September 2008. According to Maltese Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi, relations between the two countries had reached unprecedented levels thanks to his efforts.^[6]

In June 2008 the Maltese ambassador in Portugal, Salv Stellini, paid a last call on Anibal Cavaco Silva, the President of Portugal, ending his tenure as Malta's resident Ambassador in Lisbon. Cavaco Silva thanked Stellini for his support in setting up the Portuguese Embassy in Malta, and appointed him a member of Portugal's Order of Merit.^[7]

See also

Sernancelhe (Portugal) - House of the Order of Malta - 17th century

• Foreign relations of Malta
• Foreign relations of Portugal

External links

• List of Maltese representations in Portugal
• Direction of the Portuguese embassy in Valletta

References

1. ^ "Malta Enterprise and Banif Bank (Malta) plc sign cooperation". Banif Bank. http://www.banif.com.mt/news-details?l=1&i=15. Retrieved 2009-08-05. 
2. ^ "President on state visit to Portugal on Tuesday". Times of Malta. November 8, 2008. http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20081108/local/president-on-state-visit-to-portugal-on-tuesday. Retrieved 2009-08-05. "President Eddie Fenech Adami on Tuesday starts a two-day state visit to Portugal at the invitation of the President Aníbal António Cavaco Silva." 
3. ^ "President of Malta on state visit to Portugal". Embassy to Portugal in Malta. http://www.embportmalta.com/news.asp. Retrieved 2009-08-05. 
4. ^ "Interview with Antonio Russo Dias, Ambassador of Portugal to Malta on improving links between the two countries". Business Today. http://www.businesstoday.com.mt/2007/07/11/interview.html. Retrieved 2009-08-05. 
5. ^ "Portuguese bank opens with big ambitions". Times of Malta. January 22, 2008. http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20080122/local/portuguese-bank-opens-with-big-ambitions. Retrieved 2009-08-05. 
6. ^ "Portugal-Malta relations at all-time high". Times of Malta. 13th June 2008. http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20080613/local/portugal-malta-relations-at-all-time-high. Retrieved 2009-08-05. 
7. ^ "Embassy News". Minister of Foreign Affairs of Malta. http://www.fabiozammit.com/mfa/. Retrieved 2009-08-05. ^{[dead link]}