A social-democrat vision for the Mediterranean

On April 24, the Party of European Socialists (PES) approved its electoral manifesto for the European parliament elections. A brief look at this manifesto will show why it engages directly with Maltese concerns - human, political, and economic - to secure peace in our region.

Of course, the party congress did not only discuss the European Union's relationship with the world outside it. The manifesto has important things to say about the running of EU affairs for the greater benefit of its citizens.

The seven-page manifesto contains 24 policy proposals, which include the creation of more and better jobs; the creation of a European anti-drugs squad; better coordination between the secret services, judiciaries and police forces of the member states to tackle terrorism; a European policy on migration and asylum; improved access to information technology and internet access to all EU citizens by 2012; the scrapping of quotas and taxes on exports from developing countries and a reform of the Common Agricultural Policy.

In addition to these measures, however, the congress also called for the strengthening of the dialogue between the EU and the southern Mediterranean countries.

The newly elected president of the PES, Poul Nyrup Rasmussen, the former Danish premier, advocated that more effort is poured into the Barcelona process. The PES would like to see stronger links with North African countries, as well as an independent Palestinian state.

The PES intention to offer a cooperative hand to our neighbours was made clear. Mr Rasmussen pointedly told delegates: "It is pre-emptive policies instead of pre-emptive wars that we need". He spoke of the need to help create jobs and hope for the young people of the Arab world, who make up more than 50 per cent of their populations.

It is within this context, I believe, that one should understand a particular PES manifesto proposal that, ordinarily, many Maltese voters would be ambivalent about. This is that the European Security and Defence Policy should be strengthened in its capacity to aid conflict prevention and crisis management.

In principle, of course, no right-thinking Maltese voter would be against such a strengthening. It is the practice that Malta should be able to scrutinise carefully; to see that the policy avoids any conflict with Maltese neutrality. And to make sure that it is communicated clearly to our southern neighbours; a defence policy of better crisis management could involve more pan-European military coordination, a development that could be a cause of concern to our southern neighbours.

Here, the understanding that Maltese MEPs have of the region, not to mention their persuasive skills with their EP groupings and meetings with southern Mediterranean representatives, will be crucial. It will be one of the ways in which they will contribute to the building of a world that makes our open economy safer and more stable. Indeed, it will be one of the ways in which they will help build a world that is more just and sustainable.

Dr Attard Montalto, the opposition's spokesman on industry, is contesting the European parliament elections in the Malta Labour Party's interests.