Beijing embassy abuse probe 'in advanced stage'

A Foreign Office internal circular informing staff of an upcoming vacancy at the Beijing Embassy "had nothing to do" with the ongoing police investigation on alleged visa irregularities at the Maltese Embassy in China, a Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesman told The Times yesterday.

Circular 14/2005, issued on May 3, informed all foreign affairs staff about imminent vacancies at Maltese missions in Canberra, Tripoli and Beijing and also of a short-term assignment at the High Commission in London.

The foreign office spokesman described the circular as a "run-of-the-mill" procedure and was "not even remotely" connected to the police investigation. He added that the selection process of staff to fill the posts abroad would not jeopardise the investigation.

"The system of informing staff about upcoming vacancies at Maltese missions was introduced when Michael Frendo became foreign minister," the spokesman said, adding that other circulars had been issued over the past eight months.

In the case of the Beijing Embassy, he said there was one official whose term was about to end in June and another was leaving the Maltese government to work for the Commonwealth.

The temporary London post was intended to beef up the diplomatic complement at the High Commission in view of the Commonwealth summit being held in Malta this November, when about 3,000 officials requiring visas are expected.

The spokesman said the police investigation on the alleged irregularities involving the Beijing Embassy was in an advanced stage and the police should soon send a report to the ministry.

Following allegations that surfaced in the media last month, Ambassador Saviour Gauci and counsellor Joseph Pirotta were asked not to return to Beijing after having come to Malta for Easter and were also spoken to by the police once during their stay.

The Times is informed that while the police have been refusing visas to Chinese applicants in the past weeks, Jonathan Galea, a diplomat who is still at the Beijing Embassy, was still conducting interviews. This forms part of the process which Chinese nationals who ask for a Maltese visa go through before the application is sent to the police in Malta.

The Foreign Ministry has not asked the embassy to stop conducting interviews.