On Monday 16 July the MLP’s Parliamentary Group and National Executive committee unanimously approved the party’s draft vision statement on foreign affairs. As announced months ago by MLP Leader Alfred Sant, this document focused exclusively on relations with non-EU countries and international organisations.
The extensive consultation process served to beef up various segments of the draft document, giving proof of the importance that the MLP attaches to such outreach meetings.
Account also had to be taken of the changed scenario in the Middle East as a result of the intra-Palestinian struggle as well as the weakness of the Israeli government in the post-Lebanese war period.
The salient points of the approved document are the following:
• A Labour government will prioritise its bilateral relations. This does not only apply to major countries like the USA, China, the Russian Federation and Japan but also to emerging economic power houses such as India, S. Africa and Brazil.
• Nevertheless given our geographic proximity and historical links, a Labour government shall intensify its efforts in building a strong and effective relationship with all countries in the Mediterranean, particularly those of the Arab Maghreb and Egypt.
• A fresh impetus shall be given to Malta’s long-standing relations with Libya through a well-structured action plan which shall cater for an ongoing dialogue in all sectors.
• Such issues as climate change, which have also assumed a diplomatic and economic dimension apart from the purely environmental aspect, will be given priority importance.
• There will be a strong MLP government commitment to help beef up the UN as an organisation which embraces a multilateral system of collective security since it considers it to be the most equitable and effective means of countering the threats to international peace and security while facing up to the challenges of alienation, poverty and development.
• Through its limited means, Malta will contribute towards the attainment of the eight-pronged millennium development goals.
• We will ensure that a development cooperation arm linked to the Foreign Affairs Ministry will be set up as a practical expression of our foreign policy commitment to peace and justice in the world. Even if symbolically we should assist such entities as the UN Voluntary Fund for Mine Clearing and the United Nations Development Fund for Women – UNIFEM among others.
• Although the geopolitical scenario has changed and we have moved from a bipolar to a unipolar background, our neutrality has never been more relevant than in the 21st century particularly because of the proliferation of regional conflicts as well as the potential of emerging new mega powers.
• If Maltese troops are to serve abroad in peacekeeping forces, they will only do so on a strictly voluntary basis, under the auspices of the UN and only with prior parliamentary approval. Apart from voluntary military personnel’s participation in UN-mandated peacekeeping forces, an MLP government shall consider availing itself of the voluntary services of non-military personnel in these peacekeeping forces by way of doctors, lawyers, nurses and educational sector officials.
• Through our EU membership we shall endeavour to establish closer links between the Commonwealth and the EU itself for the common good.
• While engaging ourselves in the war against terrorism, we should disassociate ourselves from those initiatives that either do not have a UN mandate or authorisation or else that run counter to the provisions of international law.
• We will publish annually a report on issues at the UN and on Malta’s voting record on these issues.
• Disarmament measures alone will not bring about a world free from nuclear weapons. The emergence of any new nuclear weapon state or states as well as any non-state entity in a position to produce or otherwise acquire such weapons will seriously jeopardise the process of eliminating nuclear weapons.
• Malta will continue to participate actively in the UN Committee on the exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People while putting our political and economic ties with the Mashrek, the Arabian Gulf countries and Israel on a sounder footing.
• Great emphasis is laid on strengthening the economic dimension of our bilateral relations.
• We shall sustain the growing important role of honorary consuls due to their expertise, contacts and influence.
• On irregular migration, we shall try to balance the problems of our limitations of size and intensive population density, with the need for a collective response to the problem and the due consideration that must be given to our international obligations.
• A whole chapter full of proposals is dedicated to the Maltese living abroad. This includes also the establishment of a Consular Registry that would serve to identify and locate all Maltese abroad in case of urgent need.
• Malta shall promote the setting up of a Mediterranean-Arabian Gulf Business Forum involving mainly the GCC countries where both our strategic location and EU membership should work to our advantage.
• We will try to tap Africa through our links with neighbour countries like Libya and Egypt.
• We shall promote Malta as a Mediterranean centre in the development of Islamic finance in Malta.
• Maltese ambassadors resident abroad should regularly update the Foreign and European Affairs Committee of their endeavours.
• A comprehensive plan will be drawn up regarding our embassies and missions abroad to ensure their most cost effective use in line with the reorientation and reprioritisation of our foreign policy objectives.
Quite a tall order but I am confident that Labour has the will and commitment to see it through.
Colin Powell and
Massimo D’Alema
While obviously as an EU country we have to respect the frameworks of EU positions on external relations, it is worth taking note of two of the latest quotes on Hamas.
Italian Foreign Minister Massimo D’Alema was quoted by the Italian media as having stated that although Hamas has committed terrorist acts, it is also a popular movement, adding that it does not make sense for the West to fail to recognise a democratically-elected government, even more so when embracing a number of dictators – which according to him is a stance that does not say much about our perspective on democracy. D’Alema also said: “Non regaliamo Hamas ad al-Qaeda”, thus implying that the international community should avoid pushing such a movement into the arms of al-Qaeda.
On the other hand, former US Secretary of State Colin Powell recently told a radio interview that he just does not think that one can just cast Hamas into outer darkness and try to find a solution to the problems of the region without taking into account the standing that Hamas has in the Palestinian community. He added that “they won an election that we insisted upon having.”
And so, as unpleasant a group as they may be and as distasteful as he finds some of their positions, he thinks that through some means, the Middle East Quartet… or through some other means, Hamas has to be engaged!
I know that in their heart of hearts many politicians believe so too. The problem is that the majority of them are afraid to speak out and be honest about it.
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Leo Brincat is opposition spokesman for Foreign Affairs and IT