Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dr George W. Vella was in Paris today to participate in a meeting of the Med 7 group that apart from Malta is composed of France, Italy, Greece, Cyprus, Spain and Portugal. The meeting was convened to discuss unfolding developments in the region, in particular the crises in Libya and Syria as well as other pressing priorities concerning youth employment, migration in the Mediterranean as well as environmental challenges in the regions.
The EU’s High Representative and Vice President of the Commission Federica Mogherini was also present for the talks.
Minister Vella thanked his French counterpart for convening the meeting at a time when the tension in the region is escalating to very worrying levels. The fact that the Ministers were meeting in Paris, in the aftermath of the January attacks is also very significant in itself, Minister Vella said. In addressing the meeting, Minister Vella elaborated on the situation in Libya, which he described as an increasing growth threat to security and stability in Europe. He welcomed the fact that the matter was brought to the UN Security Council following a further deterioration of events during the week and reiterated Malta’s support to the reconciliation efforts being made by the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General, Mr Bernardino Leon.
Minister Vella stated that the evident rise of extremist and terrorist entities in Libya is a very alarming factor that needs to be addressed. He also highlighted the importance of keeping the migration issue firmly in sight and called for EU solidarity in this respect adding that prevailing instability in Libya will result in increased influxes of migrants in the coming months.
As a response to growing inter-cultural and inter-faith tensions in the Mediterranean region and beyond, Minister Vella stated that Malta actively supports deeper engagement with important regional partners such as the League of Arab States and the Gulf Cooperation Council. Every opportunity and existing mechanism should be availed of to spread a culture of tolerance in Europe’s neighbourhood.