Stay out of Irish debate, Irishman tells Mifsud Bonnici

The meeting between Mr Dom Mintoff and the pro-membership lobby IVA on Wednesday was not held at the former prime minister's request, as had been claimed, informed sources said yesterday.

The sources said: "Someone had sent a message to the former prime minister saying that certain people wanted to meet him confidentially, and not officially.

"Mr Mintoff agreed to the meeting, though he wanted the details to remain confidential."

Three representatives of IVA - Joanna Drake, David Casa and Stefan Grech - spent about 90 minutes at Mr Mintoff's Tarxien home on Wednesday afternoon.

The sources said that Campaign for National Independence chairman Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici, and not Mr Mintoff, would be going to Ireland tomorrow to monitor developments on Ireland's preparations for its referendum on the Nice Treaty to be held in October.

Dr Mifsud Bonnici had told a press conference on Monday that he had asked Mr Mintoff to go to Ireland to campaign against the Nice Treaty, but that Mr Mintoff would not be representing CNI.

Meanwhile, an Irishman involved in the 'yes' campaign to ratify the Nice Treaty yesterday contacted The Times to say that Dr Mifsud Bonnici should stay out of the Irish debate.

Philip Marley, a businessman who promotes Malta as a tourist destination, said Dr Mifsud Bonnici was entitled to make his objections in his home country, but should not interfere in a decision to be taken by the Irish people.

"It doesn't look good for Malta to have such a person holding talks against the island's membership in a foreign country. He should leave the Irish to sort out their own stuff."

"I believe it is very important to have a larger Europe. Most of the Irish population's objections to the Nice Treaty have now been corrected.

"We do not need Dr Mifsud Bonnici to come here and tell us that we are second class EU citizens," Mr Marley said.