Anyone who has studied Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi’s mannerisms and speech delivery immediately noticed that as soon as he stood on the podium in Castille’s courtyard on Sunday, he was nervous.
He was not nervous because of the foreign press, Dr Gonzi is as comfortable addressing the local media as he is the foreign contingent. The Prime Minister was nervous because he was about to give the speech of his life; he was going to announce something big.
After a brief introduction of why he was addressing the media, Dr Gonzi took a deep breath and announced that Malta had implemented sanctions against Libya. Anyone with any notion of what international relations are all about realised that this was a huge sign of intent from tiny Malta.
The Prime Minister followed up that declaration with an equally important one, he said that “the end of the Gaddafi regime is inevitable”.
The PM was seemingly emboldened and unburdened after having said what the government of Malta had to say on the issue in official terms. Dr Gonzi went on to describe the huge humanitarian effort that is taking place in Malta. Visa waivers, food, basic hygiene products, the organisation of air lifts and sea travel, hotels freeing up every nook and cranny, co-ordination with the UK’s special forces and diplomatic one-to-one phone calls among other initiatives. The government of Malta certainly has been busy, and it, as well as the people of Malta, has done this tiny nation proud.
It is true, we have limited resources, but again, we have proved that we can punch far above our weight when we put our minds to it. The Prime Minister also announced that while Malta was being used as a logistical base, as well as a base of operations for UK special forces who have airlifted Maltese and British citizens out of the Libyan wilds, Malta will not become a military base, however the conflict pans out.
He also announced that Malta turned back an unregistered Libyan flight and revealed that the government had information that the plane was carrying Air Force pilots who were coming to Malta, presumably to fly the two Mirage fighters back to Gaddafi’s air base.
All in all, it was a sterling performance by the Prime Minister, though he looked tired, worried and downright harrowed by the huge burden of responsibility that this island is bearing. The Government of Malta has taken bold steps and has shown that although we had, in the past, pandered to the tyrant just across the water, it is clearly the end of that relationship.
As the two giants, Germany and France, came rather late in the debate, it has been the resurgent UK under the leadership of Cameron and tiny, tiny Malta, under the guidance of Gonzi that have made the boldest and most meaningful of statements. Back in October’s summit, TMI had picked up on the special relationship that was beginning to blossom between Mr Cameron and Dr Gonzi. It all began as David and Lawrence were placed near each other (as happens in European Council meetings) for anything from lunch to the family photograph. These two leaders have taken the bull by the horns and have tackled the Gaddafi problem head-on. Let us be clear. It is not the Libyan problem, it is the Gaddafi problem.
Dr Gonzi has shown leadership that he has been accused of lacking in the near past and Malta can only stand to gain both in the short-term and in the long-term after his performance throughout the crisis.