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1. (1) Malta is a democratic republic founded on work and on respect for the fundamental rights and freedoms of the individual. * See The Malta Independenc e Order of the 2nd of September, 1964. ( e ) the shipyards of the Republic of Malta will be used for civil commercial purposes, but may also be used, within reasonable limits of time and quantity, for the repair of military vessels which have been put in a state of non-combat or for the construction of vessels; and in accordance with the principles of non-alignment the said shipyards will be denied to the military vessels of the two superpowers.