EU enlargement 'not complete' without Malta - Pat Cox

European Parliament president Pat Cox yesterday cautioned against Malta's inconsistency in its European cause - as EU membership still hangs in the balance, pending the outcome of Saturday's general election.

Asked by The Times whether there would be the chance for Malta to postpone its entry into the EU to a later date, Mr Cox made it clear that indecision on the issue of membership could potentially harm the island's reputation.

"It would be very annoying if every time we sit at the table with our friends and interlocutors in Malta they change their mind about their strategy," he said.

As president of the European Parliament, Mr Cox said he did not want to be drawn into commenting on Malta's electoral campaign.

But he said he would be very disappointed if Malta failed to show up at Athens for the signing of the Accession Treaty on Wednesday.

EU enlargement, he said, would not be complete without Malta.

"I fully accept this is not my judgement call, but I believe that the fifth enlargement of the EU, which is predominantly Central European, will be greatly enhanced by the two Mediterranean accession states (Cyprus and Malta)."

This was because the EU needed to enhance its policy focus in the Euro-Mediterranean dialogue and in the Middle East. And this it needed to do more urgently in the near future.

Speaking to reporters later, Mr Cox described Malta's yes vote in the March 8 referendum as a significant achievement, especially considering the "deep political fracture on the island".

He said he was equally encouraged by the overwhelming yes vote in Slovenia and by the positive opinion polls in Hungary which holds an EU referendum at the weekend.

The European Parliament yesterday gave its formal assent to pave the way for the next EU enlargement.

The vote was somewhat overshadowed following a dispute between the European Parliament and the Council over budgetary arrangements.

Asked whether the last-minute political bickering in the EU could have given the acceding countries the wrong message, Mr Cox said this was not the case.

It would have been a problem if no agreement was reached, he said, adding that the European Parliament had been one of the main driving forces to promote enlargement.

Speaking in parliament later, EU Commissioner for Enlargement Günter Verheugen said he was confident that following the positive outcome of the referendums in Malta and Slovenia, the other candidates would vote overwhelmingly in favour of membership.

He said the Commission would keep monitoring the developments of the 10 candidates and would issue a detailed report on each country six months before the enlargement date.

The commissioner spoke briefly about the contribution each candidate could give to the EU, saying Malta and Cyprus were ready to work with the Union to defend its common values and goals in the Mediterranean.

Mr Verheugen told MEPs that an enlarged EU would not merely mean a huge free trade area but more than anything it would result in an injection of "enthusiasm and dynamism."