Behind every conflict, there are families, children and communities whose daily realities are shaped by fear, loss and uncertainty, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism Ian Borg said
"We must never lose sight of the deep and lasting toll these conflicts take on the people, whose only fate was to be born in the crossfire."
On Tuesday, Borg, in his capacity as the President of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, addressed the Summer Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), encouraging Europe to resist the temptation of accepting the suffering of ongoing conflicts as inevitable.
"Normalising conflict undermines our shared humanity and erodes the very principles on which peace and justice are built. Instead, it is our collective responsibility to uphold those principles and to continue working together toward peaceful and lasting solutions," he affirmed.
In his first address to the Parliamentary Assembly since Malta took on the Presidency of the Council of Europe last month, Borg outlined the priorities of the Maltese Presidency. He confirmed that Malta is keeping Ukraine at the top of the Council of Europe's agenda, and in this regard, it was a logical step for Malta to steer forward the establishment of the Council of Europe's Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine.
"By supporting this Tribunal, the Council of Europe and its member states are demonstrating their willingness to deliver justice, not just words," Borg stated. In this regard, on Tuesday afternoon, the Deputy Prime Minister chaired an extraordinary session of the Committee of Ministers to adopt the decision authorising the signing of the bilateral agreement establishing the Tribunal.
Referring to the situation in the Middle East, he noted that while the Council of Europe had unequivocally condemned the attacks carried out by Hamas on 7th October 2023, it is equally appalled by the suffering that ensued and is still ongoing, in Gaza.
Borg also updated the Assembly on the principal initiatives of the Maltese Presidency's six-month term. He mentioned several upcoming high-level appointments, including next week's first-ever Ministerial Conference on the Lanzarote Convention, to protect children from sexual exploitation and abuse, and the 10th Youth Ministerial Conference in October. In November, the Maltese Presidency will mark the 75th anniversary of the European Convention on Human Rights.
Following his address, the Maltese Deputy Prime Minister also answered questions from the Parliamentarians participating in the Assembly.
The Maltese delegation led by Borg held talks with the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Alain Berset, and the President of the Parliamentary Assembly, Theodoros Rousopoulos.
The Prime Minister of Malta, Robert Abela, will address the Parliamentary Assembly on Wednesday.