Press release: PM meeting with the Prime Minister of Malta: 11 February 2019

A Downing Street spokesperson said:

This afternoon, the Prime Minister met the Prime Minister of Malta Joseph Muscat for bilateral talks at Downing Street.

Opening the meeting, the Prime Minister thanked Prime Minister Muscat for the assurances on residency and rights that he has given to UK nationals living in Malta in the event of no deal.

The Prime Minister then updated Prime Minister Muscat on Brexit, including recent developments in Parliament and the legally-binding changes we are seeking on the backstop to enable Parliament to vote in support of the deal.

The Prime Minister then discussed her meetings last week with President Tusk, President Juncker and Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, and the ongoing ministerial engagement on alternative arrangements to the backstop.

The leaders agreed that it is in everyone’s interests for the UK to leave with a deal, and the Prime Minister reiterated her commitment to work as quickly as possible to find a solution and provide certainty for businesses and international partners.

Finally, Prime Minister Muscat thanked the Prime Minister for the UK’s assistance in tackling money-laundering in Malta, and the leaders agreed to continue working together on this shared priority.