Guido de Marco KUOM (22 July 1931 – 12 August 2010)[1] was a Maltese politician, who served as the sixth president of Malta from 1999 to 2004.

[5] De Marco and Violet Saliba married in 1956; the couple had three children: Giannella, Fiorella and Mario.

He was elected as a representative at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe of 1967, remaining a member for almost twenty years.

[citation needed] As Minister for Foreign Affairs he submitted Malta's application for membership of the European Communities.

[7] He became an honorary doctor at St. Petersburg State University in 2004 "for achievements in science and politics, in particular, for his efforts to integrate Malta into the EU.

On 12 August 2010, de Marco gave an interview with Maltese newspaper The Times of Malta, in which he said: "When I came round from the coma I no longer felt I was going to die.

"[9] However, in the afternoon, de Marco was rushed to Mater Dei Hospital once more, after collapsing in his home in Sliema.

"[6] Fenech Adami's successor, George Abela, President of Malta at the time of de Marco's death, added that "Academically, [Guido de Marco] definitely excelled," calling him a "jovial person...[who]...sang along throughout the recent Joseph Calleja concert.

"[6] Abela expressed his condolences personally to the De Marco family at Mater Dei Hospital.

"[14] Former Libyan ambassador to Malta Saad Elshlmani said "On a personal level he was more than just a friend," adding that "people in the Middle East will remember him for his great attachment to the issues of tolerance, cooperation and friendship.

"[15] His funeral took place on 16 August 2010, attended by dignitaries, including Kuwaiti Prime Minister Nasser Mohammed Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah, the widow of Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat, Suha Arafat, Italian Undersecretary for Foreign Affairs, Vincenzo Scotti, and several ambassadors.