The visit by Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi to Washington DC and his meeting with US President George W. Bush can only be described as truly successful.
One thing that came out of Dr Gonzi’s marathon visit to the US is that although the US may have frowned up on Malta in the past, there was not one shred of evidence this time round that Malta was still seen in a bad light.
Malta has joined the European Union and President Bush’s reaction to the visit was that of two friends greeting one another at a long absence. Friendship aside, the two discussed and agreed on political commitments that will be implemented outside the Oval Office.
The negative image that Malta had in US eyes has gone – the United States looks favourably upon Malta and recognises the country’s potential to become a business base. Two factors – its geographical position and the island’s membership of the EU – strengthen this US viewpoint.
Everywhere Prime Minister Gonzi went he was seen to be charming, eloquent, humorous and knowledgeable in what he said in various speeches – from statements given to the press at the White House, at the Press Club, during meetings with officials, in lectures and even when he was more relaxed in Detroit, Michigan, where he met the Maltese community.
Dr Gonzi does not ignore the fact that Malta is a small island state in the European Union. Rather than over inflate our country’s past and present, Dr Gonzi delivered a series of lectures packed with information that did not make him (and therefore the country) sound like an insecure people that needed to boast about their achievements. He is frank, to the point, and has an uncanny knack of holding the attention of an audience – being able to make them nod in agreement, smile and even understand.
He finally got the message across to the US people that we are a very unique culture – a European and Mediterranean people who, yes, do have a special relationship with the Arab people. He explained it in a way that this had much to do with our language’s roots rather than our faith or our traditions.
Dr Gonzi’s visit has done much to rekindle trans-Atlantic relations with the United States, and sources said that President Bush enjoyed the visit as much as Dr Gonzi did. As circumstances had it, we were too focused on Brussels over past years – rightfully so – because negotiations were long and hard. But in the process, we may have neglected other international partners.
In one short but hectic week-long visit, the government has put us back on track towards better relations with the US. In one week, President Bush made a political commitment to reintroduce the Double Taxation Agreement and Malta has been given a roadmap for visa-waiver. The latter must be approved by US Congress (which is lobbying for all visitors to require a visa) but this is still progress.
Many other issues were discussed in the US – Dr Gonzi promoting the idea of US business bases in our country being able to service both the EU internal market and the emerging North African markets too; an idea that was greeted with enthusiasm by US businessmen.
President Bush also expressed his appreciation of Malta’s efforts to help in the fight against terror and organised crime by monitoring the surroundings waters and checking what goes in and out of our ports. Dr Gonzi said Malta had achieved some good results but the country needed more help to push our standards even higher – Mr Bush agreed.
This should not be seen as an act of begging for help. It is of benefit to us just as much as it to the US that Malta continues in its role as Mediterranean watchdog – and the US president knows that.
But perhaps, from a cultural point of view, Dr Gonzi succeeded in creating affection for Malta in the United States – the most powerful country in the world. And he did it without bluster or boasting, he explained how we lived and how we have been shaped by history. And the United States was fascinated. It was a truly successful visit.