RIYADH, 11 March 2004 — Malta, which joins the European Union on May 1, may soon close its embassy in Riyadh. The closure is being debated in the Maltese Parliament, said Nader Salem Rizzo of the Maltese Embassy. He would, however, neither confirm or deny the story but said he was aware of the discussions. He affirmed that the Kingdom and Malta enjoy excellent relations and pointed out that Malta “has a consulate in Jeddah, manned by a Saudi national, who is working as an honorary consul.”
