Editorial

Fourteen months ago Libya expressed an interest in "cooperating with Malta" in offshore oil exploration, a declaration that had generally gone down well and fuelled hopes of an impending breakthrough in an area that has given the island so many headaches over the years.

Now, the new Foreign Minister, Tonio Borg, has said that, although he did not wish to raise expectations, both he and his Libyan counterpart held that the time has come for political decisions to be taken on how a dispute over rights on the continental shelf could be resolved. Most Maltese reading the minister's statement would add, with, perhaps, a note of impatience, not a moment too soon. For the truth of the matter is that it is taking far too long for Libya to come round to conclude talks over such a vital issue for Malta as exploration rights on the continental shelf.

In February 2007, the two countries had made it a point to say that they were in fact determined to reach an agreement over the areas in dispute. If all that can be said now after so many months is that the time has come for a political solution to be found to the dispute, then it is quite safe to say that the prospects of actually reaching an agreement between the two countries is a long way off indeed, unless, perhaps, an unexpected development does bring about a breakthrough. Until then the island can only live in hope.

As it is widely known, Malta has already had a very bad experience with Libya insofar as oil exploration in the south of the island, the Medina bank, is concerned. If this matter is brought up every time the new dispute crops up, it is only because of the heavy-handedness shown at the time by Libya in its reaction to Malta's efforts to strike oil in the south. The issue had been referred to the International Court of Justice at the Hague but, as the minister explained, the court's ruling had only covered a specific part. Under the court's ruling, Malta had lost an important area. Other disputes over the eastern and western parts of the area had remained unresolved. Italy is also claiming interest in the area disputed by Malta and Libya, making matters even more difficult to reach an overall agreement.

Dr Borg made another interesting remark following his talks with his counterpart in Libya. He said he could feel that there was a political determination on the part of Libya to try and find a solution and that, in his view, Malta had already granted concessions. As it has already been remarked, it is not the first time that Libya is said to have shown determination in efforts to settle the dispute. What most people in Malta would like to see now is Libya taking its "determination" to its logical conclusion. But what exactly did the minister mean when he said that Malta had already granted concessions?

There is another outstanding matter in oil exploration: the promised joint oil exploration with Tunisia.

Over two years ago, the then Foreign Minister announced that the two countries had reached agreement for joint oil exploration and exploitation in zones between the two countries, a move he described as historic. The agreement was hailed in Parliament as a new model of collaboration and joint action and, according to the minister, represented a leap of confidence by both countries. He had explained that, whereas before the agreement, the two countries had focused on underlining their claims with regard to the continental shelf, they had then agreed to get on with joint exploration without prejudice to their claims.

Has the agreement been dropped? If not, what progress has been made under the agreement over the past two years? Is it not time for the people to be told of the outcome?