A Nationalist MP, a Labour MP, and the ambassador to the EU walk into the Westin…

Two perplexing statements by Nationalist MP Francis Zammit Dimech and Permanent Representative to the EU Richard Cachia Caruana have gone a long way in explaining whether they met at the Westin Dragonara hotel in St Julian's, or not.

Cachia Caruana 'outed' Labour MP Luciano Busuttil as having saluted him at the Westin on Sunday, but additionally claimed he was not at any hotel "at the time indicated by the Labour media."

One News claimed Zammit Dimech and Cachia Caruana were seen on Sunday afternoon, just before 5pm, in discussion. But Zammit Dimech, the chairman of the foreign affairs committee, has denied One News's claims that the two were ostensibly discussing House business ahead of the Opposition's no-confidence motion against Cachia Caruana.

"Although this meeting never took place, it is obvious that as permanent representative I frequently meet the foreign affairs committee chairman. This is our job after all," Cachia Caruana said.

While Cachia Caruana is known to host personal meetings at the Westin Dragonara on several occasions, Zammit Dimech has previously been a frequent member at the hotel's gym.

On his part, Zammit Dimech - who has also raised a parliamentary breach of privilege against One News - has "categorically and unequivocally" denied having held a meeting with Richard Cachia Caruana at the Westin on Sunday, or having been "in the sameplace and time on Sunday" with Cachia Caruana.

"One News's challenge to me to deny their news item betrays the fact that this was nothing but a lie on their part. That's because One News's news item was not about who was or was not in a St Julian's hotel on Sunday, but that Cachia Caruana met me just two days ahead of the foreign affairs committee meeting that will discuss the non-confidence motion," Zammit Dimech said.

"That's why the original news itsem as broadcast is a lie, and so is the new doctored version," the MP said.

Mark Farrugia, a spokesperson for One News, said the breach of privilege complaint raised by Zammit Dimech was tantamount to a muzzle on the Labour newsroom's work.

"Zammit Dimech is playing with words to confuse people's minds. We invite Zammit Dimech to deny, categorically and unequivocally, that on Sunday he was in the same place with Richard Cachia Caruana, at the same time," Farrugia said.

One News has insisted that the two men were seen together at the Westin Dragonara hotel, St Julian's, just before 5pm.

The government accused the Opposition of employing "a strategy of falsity" before the foreign and European affairs committee discusses the Opposition's motion. The motion calls for Cachia Caruana's resignation following his 'behind-the-scenes' role in bringing Malta into Nato's Partnership for Peace in 2008 and bypassing the parliamentary procedure for this decision.