Malta's Prime Minister Dom Mintoff arrived in London today (Friday 17 September) on a British Air Force jet for urgent top-level talks on settling the row with Britain over the rent of military bases on his island.

In a meeting later in the day with British Prime Minister Edward Heath, he was expected to produce compromise proposals to bridge the wide gap between what the two Governments think the bases are worth. The Maltese leader is believed to want between 20 and 30 million sterling a year in a financial aid and defence agreement. The latest offer by Britain and her NATO allies is in the vicinity of 10 million sterling.

SYNOPSIS: Britain's Royal Air Force sent a new executive jet to Valetta to fetch Malta' Prime Minister, Mr. Dom Mintoff, to London on Friday. Britain's Defence Minister, Lord Carrington cancelled a visit to Birmingham in order to be on ha??? to greet him. In a meeting later in the day with British Prime Minister Edward Heath, Mr. Mintoff was expected to produce compromise proposals to bridge t??? wide gap between what the two Government think rent for military bases on the Mediterranean island are worth.

The Maltese leader is reported to want between 20 and 30 million sterling a year in a financial and defence agreement for the bases on the island. The latest offe??? by Britain and her NATO allies is about 10 million sterling. Unless a deal between the Maltese Government and Britain can be negotiated, it seems British forces may be asked to leave the island. The Mintoff-Heath talks at Chequers, the British Prime Minister's secluded country residence near London, are also expected to deal with Malta's ten-day old ban on duty-free fuel for the British forces in Malta....about which Britain has protested. Mr. Mintoff and Lord Carrington had private talks in the airport lounge which were reported to have dealt with the proposals to be discussed later with Mr. Heath.

Mr. Mintoff was scheduled to fly back to Malta on Saturday.