Malta fully supports the draft conclusions on a new migration policy as well as measures that are aimed at fighting illegal immigration, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said yesterday.
Speaking at the end of the first session of the European Council in Brussels, Dr Gonzi said the Finnish presidency was dedicating a substantial part of the conclusions to the subject of illegal immigration.
“The proposals presented by the Finnish presidency are concrete proposals that acknowledge that a problem exists and that it has to be tackled.
“We took an active part in the discussions and Malta fully supports the draft conclusions,” Dr Gonzi told journalists before heading off for a working dinner last night.
In comments given to The Malta Independent yesterday morning, Dr Gonzi said he was confident that the EU was moving closer to a common policy on immigration but he stressed the importance of maintaining good relations with North African states.
He said that thanks to this summit, the EU was providing more resources to tackle a growing problem for Malta and other Mediterranean countries.
The Finnish presidency is calling for stronger cooperation between member states in the fight against illegal immigration. The draft conclusions encourage EU leaders to have the border control agency Frontex finalise the creation of a centralised record of technical equipment so that this can be used by other member states and to give priority to the establishment of a permanent coastal network for the Mediterranean.
Prime Minister Gonzi said another issue discussed during the first session was that regarding EU decision-making in justice and criminal matters. Yesterday’s meeting was a last attempt to promote the European Commission’s idea of removing the national veto in the area.
“Malta’s position has been very clear and we are against the changes as proposed by the Commission.”
The proposed move to unanimity (instead of majority voting) is also part of the frozen EU Constitution, however Dr Gonzi insisted that Malta will not accept any cherry-picking, as the Commission is proposing.
“No agreement was reached, so everything remains the same,” Dr Gonzi said.
Malta was not alone in opposing the Commission’s idea, with Germany and the UK also strongly disagreeing with the proposal.
Enlargement was the delicate topic discussed during dinner last night. EU leaders are hoping that a strong consensus can be reached on enlargement today, however the Commission is also putting the message across that prospective members have to meet all the requirements of membership and that the EU would not show any leniency.
The EU’s tough approach has already been felt by Turkey. On Monday, EU Foreign Ministers suspended part of Turkey’s membership talks over its failure to honour an agreement to open up its ports to EU member Cyprus, which joined the bloc in 2004 but whose government Ankara does not recognise.
EU leaders are expected to endorse that decision, despite concerns from some that the punishment is too harsh. The foreign ministers’ partial freeze decision – a surprise after weeks of division over the issue – filled EU capitals with a sense of relief after weeks of worry the year-end summit would become overshadowed by the dispute with Ankara over trading with Cyprus, whose Greek Cypriot government Turkey does not recognise.
On the Turkish issue, Dr Gonzi said that Malta believed the door should remain open, so long as Turkey honours the agreement to open up its ports to Cyprus.
Although Turkey began formal negotiations last year, its bid to become the first mainly Muslim EU member faces widespread opposition. Leading European politicians have deep reservations and an opinion poll conducted for the EU early this year indicated that just 39 per cent of EU citizens back Turkey’s membership – even if it meets all the conditions.
This morning the Prime Minister will be meeting German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
He is accompanied by Foreign Minister Michael Frendo.