asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a further statement on Great Britain's relations with Malta.

A fourth meeting was held in Rome with the Prime Minister of Malta, on 7th and 8th February. The Secretary-General of N.A.T.O. and my right hon. and noble Friend the Defence Secretary put to Mr. Mintoff our definitive proposals on the main financial and other issues outstanding in the negotiations of a new defence arrangement. We wait to hear whether or not the Maltese Government are prepared to conclude an agreement on this basis.