Malta and Greece have signed an agreement on Cooperation in the field of Search and Rescue aimed at improving the safety of navigation in the Central Mediterranean and the Ionian Sea. The agreement was signed after bilateral talks held between Foreign Minister Michael Frendo and Yannis Valinakis, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Greece at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Valletta.

The agreement concerns the Search and Rescue areas of both countries who will cooperate and support each other for operations within the respective SRRs by responding to reciprocal requests for operational assistance as their capabilities allow them but without any obligation on the state which has conducted a search and rescue operation to accept the admission of any asylum seekers on its territory.

Operations carried out in the territory of any one of the countries will be coordinated by the authorities of the said territory.

Malta and Greece will establish procedures, which balance concerns for sovereignty and for saving lives, regarding the entry of various types of Search and Rescue assets into the territory of the other party, solely for a search or a rescue operation.

Personnel from both countries will train together by carrying out search and rescue drills on simulated incidents to achieve more inter-operability and will exchange information and experience.

Foreign Minister Michael Frendo thanked the Greek Foreign Minister and Mr. Valinakis for the excellent relations between both countries and for the support they always extended to Malta, particularly by participating in FRONTEX missions and providing sea craft and people for these operations.

The agreement marks another step towards the strengthening of the bilateral relations between the two countries who have adjacent search and rescue areas and can work closer together to fight the phenomenon of illegal immigration.

Mr. Valinakis thanked Minister Frendo for the collaboration extended to the Greek Foreign Minister both bilaterally and in the context of the European Union and said that his country supports the initiative launched by Minister Frendo for a structured and pre-emptive dialogue between the European Union and the Arab League. He said that Malta and Greece collaborate closely on other matters and was sure that the good relations between them will be further strengthened in future.