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Tonio Borg met North Korean ambassador earlier this month
North Korean ambassador Han Tae Song paid Foreign Affairs Minister Tonio Borg a courtesy farewell call earlier this month
14 April 2012, 12:00am
Miriam Dalli
Miriam Dalli
1 min read
Foreign Affairs Minister Tonio Borg
MaltaToday can reveal that Foreign Affairs Minister Tonio Borg held a meeting with North Korean ambassador Han Tae Song, earlier this month on 3 April.
The ambassador's courtesy call, which was not publicised by the Department of Information, was reportedly held in the morning.
When contacted by MaltaToday, the Foreign Affairs Ministry said that the minister received courtesy calls by incoming and outgoing ambassadors to Malta on a regular basis.
It added that during the past four years, Borg had met numerous ambassadors upon their appointment or their termination.
The ministry also said that it is common practice that such meetings are never made public.
The North Korean ambassador also held meetings behind closed doors with President George Abela and Opposition leader Joseph Muscat.
While the Korean Central News Agency reported the meetings with Abela and Muscat, it did not report the meeting with Minister Borg.
The Nationalist Party has since taken Muscat to task for allegedly "strengthening ties between Labour and North Korea" and for not publicising the courtesy call by Han Tae Song.
While government also kept the North Korean's ambassador call quiet, this morning it issued a statement condemning the country for attempting to launch a rocket, seen by many countries as a banned test of long-range missile technology.
Government described the launch as a "dangerous and destabilizing" action which goes against the constitution of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).
Miriam Dalli joined MaltaToday.com.mt in 2010 becoming assistant editor f...
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jaqaw tonio borg kellu il barka tal ambaxxata amerikana biex jiltaqa mal ambaxxatur tal korea u dr muscat le.
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So Tonio Borg expressed 'false' sorrow for the demise of Korean leader?
Do we have to get permission from the Pn to meet the Korean ambassador?
Certi nies ghandhom jirringrazzjaw lil Mintoff li harighom mis-slums li kienu joqoghodu fihom, mhux issa ghax hadu edukazzjoni b'xejn grazzi ghal Mintoff, qed jahsbu li jistghu jiddisprezzaw il-mizerja li hargu minnha! Il-sellum ta l-opportunita bnieh biss Mintoff, u min ma jammettix ibati minn lack ta-self esteem!
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Antoine Vella you do not have the slightest idea of protocol. Now go back to your cave.
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BRIFFY MELA GHADEK TEZISTI?
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oqbra imbajda kien jghidilom il kbir u l-aqwa prime ministru li kellna Malta.il-perit DOM MINTOFF
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What is disgusting is not that the North Korean ambasador met Joseph Muscat but that Muscat expressed such genuine sorrow for the death of a dictator even worse than Mintoff. Moreover, Muscat praised North Korea and said he wanted close links with that wretched country. There is no longer any doubt that with Muscat we're heading for a new regime of Mintoffian oppression and North Korean secret treaties.
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Is it possible that Toni Borg-Minister for GonziPn- discussed with the North Koreans how they could help Dr Gonzi- by blasting Dr Franco Debono into orbit? GonziPN would have got rid of an itch! Halluna nghixu!
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GonziPN supporters did not sleep the whole night through before the North Korean rocket /satellite exploded! They were awaiting 'air raid past' from Castille!
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GonziPN supporters did not sleep the whole night through before the North Korean rocket /satellite exploded! They were awaiting 'air raid past' from Castille!
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It is protocol for a parting Ambassador to make farewell calls on the President, the Prim Minister and the Leader of the Opposition!
I wish to remind that very recently the Foreign Mister met the Iranian Ambassador accredited to Malta and that Iran is definitely not a friendly country!
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Briffy, isn't it also obvious that all ambassadors pay farewell visits also to the leader of the opposition and the President ?? Bil-guh il-gawwi, nghidu bil-Malti ! Sibu xi argument bis-sens briffy. Tiftakar kemm kontu bezzghajtu nies meta Mintoff kien l-ewwel prim ministru li mar ic-Cina ?? Biex illum gejjin u sejrin ta' GonziPN ic-Cina li ghadha l-istess Cina Kommunista bhal dak iz-zmien ????
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It is protocol for a parting Ambassador to make farewell calls on the President, the Prim Minister and the Leader of the Opposition!
I wish to remind that very recently the Foreign Mister met the Iranian Ambassador accredited to Malta and that Iran is definitely not a friendly country!
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Mela Tonio Borg ukoll iltaqa malambaxxatur tal-Korea ta' Fuq, izda ppruvaw jahbuha ! Tghid minn ghand dan l-ambaxxatur tghallmu jilghabuha tad-dittaturi , biex taw ordni biex jitnehhew 3 Billboards tal-Partit Laburista, waqt li hallew Billboards ohra kummercjali ! DITTATURI BI-PROVI !!! Skond il-Malta Star l-ordni nghatat minn Ernest Tonna, il-habib kbir ta' Austin Gatt, dak li qieghed jiekol bi 3 ihluq !!
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briffy@maltanet. I agree with you ,that it is part of the protocol to bids farewell to Foreign Ministers when an Embassador is leaving his post , but why there was no publicity fot this event and everything was kept secret ? Is it part of a plot to put the President and the Labour Party in bad light ?
Igor P. Shuvalov •
Yes 'briffy' but it is also obvious that the same ambassador pays a farewell visit to the Leader of the Opposition
Ian George Walker •
Outgoing ambassadors ALWAYS pay courtesy farewell visits to the authorities - including the Leader of the Opposition. It is a matter of routine.
Another bubble bursts in the PN's face.
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Ara veru Ipokrezija kbira min naha tal-gurnal "TIMES"
Il-bierah t-Times għoġobha tippubblika artiklu biex tgħidilna x'intqal f' laqgħa li Dr.Muscat kellu mal-ambaxxatur tal-Korea ta' Fuq.Ovvjament il-kummenti dwar dan l-artiklu daru fuq kemm Muscat se jġib żminijiet tal-waħx jekk il-poplu jafdah bħala Prim Ministru etċ, etċ - is-soltu storja imsomma, drajniha issa.
Il-fatt kurjuż peró jibqa' li ma qalet xejn li anka Tonio Borg iltaqgha mal-ambaxxatur tal-Korea ta' Fuq.
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But why keep it secret? ......... same old briffy.
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Isn't it obvious that any ambassador who leaves his post bids farewell to the Foreign Minister? This is protocol.
