Valletta – Spain will support Malta's bid to host a new European asylum bureau, the Spanish foreign minister said on Thursday.

Earlier this year the European Commission said it would set up the European Asylum Support Office to help member countries deal with immigration.

"Spain understands the problems Malta faces over illegal immigration and we will make this issue a priority of our European Union presidency," Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos said.

Spain will take over the rotating EU presidency in January 2010.

At a joint press conference with his Maltese counterpart Tonio Borg, Moratinos said Spain wanted to address illegal migration in a concrete manner by giving Frontex, the EU’s border control agency, a new, more efficient role.

Madrid will keep close contact with Malta, Greece and Cyprus to achieve better results on immigration, Moratinos said.

Malta and Spain on Thursday signed agreements on a range of subjects, including maritime affairs, education and culture.

Moratinos was in Malta accompanying Spanish King Juan Carlos on a two-day state visit ending later Thursday.

AFP / Expatica