Labour 'clutching at straws' - Foreign Ministry statement
In a statement issued yesterday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that over the past few days, the Labour Party has made much of two documents presented at the Convention on the Future of Europe, citing them as proof that Günter Verheugen, the EU...
In a statement issued yesterday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that over the past few days, the Labour Party has made much of two documents presented at the Convention on the Future of Europe, citing them as proof that Günter Verheugen, the EU Commissioner for Enlargement, was wrong when he said that Labour's partnership dream is unattainable.
"Labour cannot grasp one simple fact about these proposals - that they are expressly meant for countries in the Mediterranean and to the East of the enlarged Union that cannot, or are not yet in a position, to enjoy the benefits of membership," the statement commented.
It continued:
"The two paragraphs that Labour spokesmen are pointing to - a paragraph each in two much longer documents - have nothing in common with the Malta Labour Party's 'Switzerland in the Mediterranean' or 'partnership' model.
"The first of these two documents is the European Socialist Party's 'Priorities for Europe', which includes 38 words to the effect that a new status could possibly be created with EU neighbours, allowing for better political, economic and cultural links.
"The second is the European People's Party's 'A Constitution for a Stronger Europe', which includes one paragraph proposing the creation of a 'European partnership', open to the countries of eastern Europe and the Mediterranean. It suggests that this should be similar to the European Economic Area (EEA), but with a political component.
"It should be remembered that to join the EEA Malta would have to adopt, among others, all EU laws, present and future, on the internal market (including items such as free movement of persons and services and state aid rules). At the same time we would have no vote in the decision-making process that is reserved only for EU member states, while still having to take on board the results of those decisions. This is far from being some tailor-made agreement.
"Is this what Labour wants? What, precisely, would be the benefits for Malta? The Labour Party, trapped on the wrong side of this crucial national debate, is clutching at straws. Its European 'policy' is in tatters," the statement concluded.