The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dr Michael Frendo and the US Secretary of State, Dr Condoleezza Rice have signed a ship boarding agreement which authorises either party to request permission to board ships suspected of carrying weapons of mass destruction or parts thereof in international seas. This agreement was signed in Washington on the 15th March 2007.

The US State department stated that "This agreement is an important indication of Malta’s commitment to combating the proliferation trade and its readiness to ensure that its more than 1,200 maritime vessels are not abused by proliferators".

On his side, the Foreign Minister said that as a country that has peace at the core of its values and being the eighth largest shipping register in the world, Malta views such collaboration as a means of implementation of the multilaterally agreed framework provided by the non-proliferation treaties. The minister was quoted as saying that "a world free from weapons of mass destruction must remain the objective for us all".

The discussions on the agenda of the meeting between the two parties included the conclusion of a new double taxation agreement between the two countries, the visa waiver programme for Maltese citizens travelling to the US as well as other issues such as the initiative for a stronger engagement between the EU and the Arab World.

The Minister responsible for Foreign Affairs reiterated the importance of a double taxation agreement between the two countries. In fact, it is expected that early next month a delegation from the Ministry of Finance will fly to Washington to debate the matter further.  Dr Frendo referred to the introduction of biometric passports, which is expected this year, and said that this will be the foundation on which Malta will present its formal request for the waiving of visas. Once the  formal request is made, a Maltese delegation should be travelling to the US for discussions with the Department of Homeland Security.

Dr Frendo added that both countries have at their hearts the values of freedom and democracy while Dr Rice recalled her visit to Malta during the summit meeting between President George H.W. Bush and President Mikhail Gorbachev at the end of 1989. "Even though on the second day, the weather was a little bit uncooperative, we did have a wonderful first afternoon in Malta where I remember the true beauty of your country, the friendliness of your people, the warmth of your hospitality...," she said.