CHOGM ends

Commonwealth leaders yesterday presented three documents at the conclusion of the Malta summit containing strong messages on improving cooperation in development, mass migration and the fight against terrorism.

Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi, who chaired the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting over the past three days, said at the concluding press conference that the retreat discussions held at the Golden Sands Hotel had been intense, constructive and proactive and dealt with topics for "today's world with today's challenges".

Commonwealth secretary general Don McKinnon, who sat alongside Dr Gonzi, said the three "substantial" statements issued yesterday underlined the relevance of the Commonwealth, as well as the Malta statement on multilateral trade that was issued by the leaders on Saturday evening. The Malta statement urged developed countries to give more than they expect to receive at the World Trade Organisation Ministerial Meeting in Hong Kong next month.

He said: "There are lots of deliverable statements in the communiqué and those statements that we really haven't seen in previous CHOGMs...

"This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for progress to be made. The Commonwealth believes Europe can do more and majority voting in Europe can prevail to meet what is effectively a US offer on the table."

Even though the leaders expressed deep concern that many Commonwealth countries were falling behind Millennium Development Goals targets, Mr McKinnon was again scathing about EU countries that are reluctant to phase out agricultural subsidies enjoyed by its members and create a fairer trading environment: "The EU has to do a lot better," he said.

In an interview with the BBC World Service, British Prime Minister Tony Blair seemed to offer support by saying that Britain had a very similar position to developing countries.

He expressed sympathy for the Caribbean countries affected by the EU's decision to slash subsidies on sugar imported from outside the EU by 36 per cent and said they should be helped to make such a transition.

Dr Gonzi was less committal on Malta's position.

He said Malta would like to see reforms in the EU's agricultural policy but the whole issue was related to the reform of the EU budget. But he was adamant that the island supports the Commonwealth's Valletta statement on trade as many Commonwealth countries depended on agriculture.

In the final communiqué, the heads of government underscored the need to deal with the challenges and opportunities that migration presents to countries of origin, destination and transit.

Dr Gonzi, who insisted the topic would be on the agenda, said it was one of the major challenges and he also highlighted the importance of the communiqué's calls to counter terrorism by promoting economic development and good governance.

The leaders reiterated their commitment to root out, both at national and international levels, systematic corruption which is a major problem particularly in several African countries. They also insisted on the recovery of assets of illicit origin and repatriating them to where they came from.

The final communiqué states that Pakistan is to remain on the agenda of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group - which Malta shall form part of for the next two years - until its President complies with its directive to step down as the head of the military.

In spite of political unrest in Uganda, which has caused concern throughout the world, Mr McKinnon said: "The leaders have not changed their minds about going to Uganda in two years' time." It was also decided that Trinidad and Tobago will host the 2009 CHOGM.

In addition to the communiqué, the leaders issued the Gozo Statement On Vulnerable Small States and the Malta Declaration on the core theme of this CHOGM, Networking The Commonwealth For Development, in which leaders said they were committed to making the benefits of new technologies widely available.

Mr McKinnon did not let the event pass by without paying tribute to the Maltese people, whom he said had put up with thousands of people for the past 10 days and were still smiling.