Gonzi to meet Barroso at Girgenti

European Commission president-designate José Manuel Barroso arrives in Malta tomorrow and will meet Lawrence Gonzi at the Prime Minister's official summer residence at Girgenti.

Mr Barroso will arrive on a private jet and will go straight to Girgenti for talks commencing at 12.30 p.m. Mr Barroso will have a half hour private meeting with Dr Gonzi before going into official talks with a government delegation.

Details of Mr Barroso's visit to Malta tomorrow were given to The Times by sources in Mr Barroso's cabinet.

The official government delegation will include Foreign Minister Michael Frendo and Malta's Permanent Representative to the EU, Richard Cachia Caruana.

Mr Barroso and the Prime Minister are set to address the media following the official talks.

Mr Barroso will also be meeting President Eddie Fenech Adami later on in the day at San Anton Palace and tour the Grand Harbour in the afternoon.

He will leave Malta on Thursday morning, flying to Rome for similar discussions with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.

Mr Barroso's visit to Malta forms part of a series of discussions the president-designate is having with all heads of government of the EU states prior to concluding his work programme for the next five year-term of the commission starting in November.