U.S., Malta sign PSI agreement

U.S., Malta sign PSI agreement The United States and Malta on Thursday signed a reciprocal Proliferation Security Initiative Shipboarding Agreement, allowing mutual inspections on vessels to deter shipment of weapons of mass destruction.
   Malta has the world’s eighth-largest shipping registry, with some 1,200 vessels flying the nation’s flag, and becomes the seventh state to sign a PSI initiative with the United States since the program was launched by President George W. Bush in 2003.
   “Our countries are today closely cooperating to protect our common principles and interests against the greatest threats of our time: global terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction,” said U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
   “This agreement also deters proliferators by sending a clear message that neither Malta or the United States will tolerate the involvement of vessels flying their flags in the trade of proliferation-related cargos,” Rice said.