PM full of praise for RCC ahead of resignation motion

Addressing a conference on the past eight years of Malta's EU membership at the offices of the Nationalist Party's think-tank AZAD, Gonzi said that Malta's accession to the EU was also made possible thanks to Cachia Caruana.

"We cannot talk about Malta's membership without giving the due credit to Richard who gave Malta the best negotiating package and strives on to achieve more," Gonzi said, adding that everything that Cachia Caruana has done was always carried out "in the nation's best interest".

Malta, Gonzi said, had tried to negotiate its membership while facing an ardent opposition that thought that the accession would not be of benefit to Malta:

"Between 1996 and 1998 we lost 22 months of negotiations with the EU. Our negotiators, led by Richard, had to make up for that lost time and at the same time manage to make it in time for the 2004 enlargement."

The Prime Minister was speaking in the presence of Cachia Caruana, who made a rare public appearance to address the conference. In a rather subdued tone, he described his role as Malta's permanent representative as "a tremendous, rewarding, life-changing experience" and that he was "very grateful" to have been given his role.

"I have made friends, and might also have made some political enemies," he said, smiling wryly, adding that through it all he always held the country's interest at heart.

"I have always served with energy and the complete loyalty towards my country and the government. I am very proud to have worked under this administration and I thank Eddie Fenech Adami and Lawrence Gonzi for trusting me."

Cachia Caruna - who in a reaction to the motion of censure has been invited by government to a meeting of the Foreign Affairs Committee - had a rather succinct comment to make over calls for his resignation: "Don't believe everything George Vella says."

The Opposition motion was tabled in parliament by Vella, who is accusing Cachia Caruana of going behind parliament's back in talks with NATO officials in 2004 to reactivate Malta's Partnership for Peace programme.