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3. Malta |
1947 |
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Malta, a British base since Napoleonic times, was granted self-government. This was revoked in 1959 and restored in 1962. | 1 |
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1964, Sept. 21 |
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The island became a completely independent monarchical state, at the request of the local government. According to a ten-year mutual defense pact, Britain retained the right to station armed forces there. | 2 |
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1966, March 2628 |
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In elections the Nationalist Party was victorious over the Malta Labour Party. The Nationalist leader, Dr. Borg Olivier, became prime minister. | 3 |
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1967, Jan.March |
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The Anglo-Maltese crisis developed, deriving from the decision of the British government to accelerate the withdrawal of military forces as a matter of economy. Since this was a major threat to the economy of the island, which depended largely on the British defense system, the Maltese government protested. An agreement was eventually reached (March 12) by which the British government slowed down its withdrawals and promised larger grants to cushion the rate of unemployment. | 4 |
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1968 |
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Establishment of a standing consultative group of NATO to deal with any eventual threat to Maltese security. | 5 |
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June 1316 |
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Visit to Malta of the prince and grand master of the Sovereign Military Hospitaler Order of St. John of Jerusalem, Rhodes, and Malta, to renew the ties forcibly severed by Napoleon's conquest of the island in 1798. | 6 |
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