25/02/2009 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission and the Order of Malta have signed a memorandum of understanding that enlarges and consolidates cooperation when it comes to emergency intervention and other action in developing countries. Cooperation has been very active for a long while. The memorandum extends it to new areas, by opening up additional possibilities. Thanks to its “sovereign” nature, the Order of Malta is represented in 102 countries where its ambassadors have immediate access to the local authorities and benefit from diplomatic protection. For its humanitarian action, it has a permanent presence in 120 countries. The memorandum provides for cooperation with the Commission in addition to intervention in urgent cases, social and medical assistance, the protection of disaster victims, etc. and also covers the diffusion of human rights, inter-cultural and inter-religious dialogue and other forms of initiatives. The memorandum was signed by the president of the Commission, José Manuel Barroso, the Grand Master of the Order of Malta, Matthew Festing, and the Grand Chancellor, Jean-Pierre Mazéry. (F.R./transl.jl)