Malta Signs PSI Ship-Boarding Agreement

Malta and the United States yesterday signed an agreement allowing either country to search ships flying the other’s flag in search of weapons of mass destruction, Agence France-Presse reported (see GSN, Nov. 16, 2006).

“Our countries are today closely cooperating to protect our common principles and interests against the greatest threats of our time:  global terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction,” Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said at a signing ceremony in Washington with Maltese Foreign Minister Michael Frendo.

The agreement was made under the U.S.-led Proliferation Security Initiative, which aims to interdict shipments of unconventional weapons and WMD materials on the high seas.

Roughly 1,200 ships carry the Maltese flag, giving the Mediterranean island the world’s eighth-largest shipping registry.

The agreement allows officials from either nation to board and search ships registered with the partner country, and to seize the vessels if necessary.

The United States has now signed seven ship-boarding pacts with other countries, AFP reported (Agence France-Presse/Yahoo!News, March 15).

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