Craxi’s son lauds Mintoff, to attend State Funeral

Bobo Craxi, son of the late Italian socialist leader Bettino Craxi lauds Dom Mintoff as 'most prestigious political leader in Mediterranean.'

Speaking to journalists in Rome this morning, the son of the late Italian Prime Minister and Socialist leader, paid tribute to Dom Mintoff who died last Monday, aged 96.

"Dom Mintoff was one of the most prestigious political leaders in the Mediterranean," Craxi said, adding: "he was a convinced progressive, a great friend of the Italian socialists, and we will remember him dearly."

Bobo Craxi who is the international secretary of what remains of the Italian Socialist Party is expected in Malta for Dom Mintoff's State Funeral next Saturday.

Dom Mintoff had forged a special relationship with Italy's Bettino Craxi during the late 1970's and 1980's. He had negotiated Italy's guarantee for Malta's neutrality with the Craxi government.

Writing in 2010, Mintoff's then foreign Minister Alex Sceberras Trigona said:

"With the signing of the Neutrality Treaty, relations between Italy and Malta were stabilised for the first time in modern history. The Neutrality Treaty was initialled simultaneously at the Auberge de Castille by Mr Mintoff and at the Farnesina by Foreign Minister Emilio Colombo on September 15, 1980.

"Malta had slowly but surely persuaded Italy to increase Arnaldo Forlani's 1977 offer to merely continue with Italy's previous contribution under the 1972-79 agreement of $4.2 million per annum. Finally, $16 million a year for five instead of three years, together with an una tantum very soft loan of US$15 million were drafted into the First Financial Protocol as agreed upon in our talks with Cossiga in Rome on September 3, 1980. A Second Financial Protocol was negotiated with Prime Minister Bettino Craxi and Foreign Minister Giulio Andreotti and signed in Malta with Prime Minister Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici in November 1986. Our neutrality formula had already stood the test of time very well.

"In Italy's declaration welcoming Malta's neutrality with satisfaction, Italy solemnly declares it recognises and will respect ... the neutrality... of Malta and will act in conformity therewith in all respects."