Ivan Camilleri, Brussels
Diplomatic blitz precedes Ministers' meeting
Malta's Permanent Representation in Brussels went on a diplomatic blitz across the EU capital yesterday to explain the government's position on the recent political tug-of-war with Italy over immigrants stranded off Lampedusa.
The barrage of meetings included long, one-on-one sessions with high officials from the European Commission and member states, including Italy's Permanent Representation.
This comes ahead of a face-to-face meeting over dinner between Home Affairs Ministers Carm Mifsud Bonnici and Roberto Maroni at the European Commission's headquarters, hosted by Justice, Freedom and Security Commissioner Jacques Barrot.
The immigrants, 140 in all, were rescued by Turkish cargo vessel Pinar E in Malta's search and rescue (SAR) area just off the island of Lampedusa. According to international conventions, the ship had to take the survivors to the nearest safe port of call. Malta stressed this meant they should have been taken to Lampedusa but Italy initially refused and only reversed its decision after a four-day stand-off which ended on Sunday.
During the meetings in Brussels yesterday, the Maltese Permanent Representation gave detailed information about Malta's position and its international SAR obligations.
Ambassador Richard Cachia Caruana said Malta was expecting to be able to clear the air with Italy on the incident and to reaffirm its position on SAR, which has been in place for decades.
"Both Italy and Malta have common interests in this issue and we are looking forward to a positive discussion. We also want to see what the Commission could come up with to help both countries fight illegal immigration in the central Mediterranean region."
But the meeting, a Commission official noted, would not focus on the Pinar case alone.
"The Pinar incident is only one item on the agenda. Mr Barrot has also already indicated to both Italy and Malta that he would like to discuss illegal immigration in general, the relations with Libya and the EU's role, burden sharing and the EU immigration pact and the ongoing discussions about the next Frontex mission, which had to be launched last month in the Sicily-Malta-Libya strait."
The fate of the Pinar immigrants was not the only disagreement between Malta and Italy on illegal immigration as this year's Frontex anti-migration patrol mission had to be put on hold due to discord between Valletta and Rome on the rules of engagement of the mission.
Italy is saying all illegal immigrants saved by the Frontex mission, normally taking place outside Malta's SAR area, should be taken to Malta as the host country of this mission. But Malta is insisting that, even in this case, international maritime rules should prevail and illegal immigrants picked up at sea should be taken to the closest safe port.
Nautilus IV, as the Frontex operation is nicknamed, had to start in March. However, the disagreement between Italy and Malta forced Frontex to postpone indefinitely the launch of the €10 million mission.
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philip pace
Apr 23rd 2009, 19:02
To A. Spiteri
You wrote,' If politicians from both countries involved in this dispute, left their egos and political ambitions aside, this incident would have been golden opportunity to halt once and for all the ongoing invasion. '.
Now I ask you who has the biggest ego and political ambitions? The Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi or our own Prime Minister Dr. Michael Gonzi?
Any bets, ladies and gentlemen?
philip pace
Apr 23rd 2009, 18:54
To A Spiteri,
Can you please explain with facts to what you wrote? You can also write down the name of the books for clear cut references.
However can I ask you the following :-
What happened in Eritrea from 1890 to 1941?
What happened in Italian Somaliland from 1925 to 1960?
What about Abyssinia (Ethopia) in 1935, when the little vain man dressed in black declared such a majestic victory in front of the crowd where there was a small Maltese delegation present behind a placard with Malta written on it?I have seen a document of this on the RAI?
And what about Libya where some years ago Colonel Ghaddafi was asking for compensation for the atrocities committed by the Italians?
If what you state is true then nobody colonised Africa and we can throw the history books away and just rewrite the history as how it suits our old sympathies with foreign countries.
I am very interested to learn!
Dr.Buttigieg
Whether a big country colonises another country for one decade or more it is still called colonalisation. The time factor is immaterial but undemocratic steel hand shown on the natives is quite despicable!
John Azzopardi
Apr 23rd 2009, 15:20
It makes one wonder why if Maltese diplomats are so convinced of being politically correct, are they going to all this trouble.
Dr. Antthony Buttigieg
Apr 23rd 2009, 13:20
@alex spiteri
just on a point of history. Italy DID colonise several african countries, albeit in some cases only for a few decades. These are Eritrea, Somalia, Libya, and for a very few years Ethopia. By sheer coincidence the countries that are principally involved in our immigration issues.
LGalea
Apr 23rd 2009, 12:55
Alex Spiteri
While agreeing with you that the problem should have been solved by sending the ship back to Libya, but unfortunately Maroni tried to dump them on us.
However, I cannot agree with you that the Italians did not colonize major African countries as did other European countries. Who had gassed the people in Ethiopia, Eritrea and Somalia and colonized them although not for hundreds of years and stole their riches and natural resources? Are Ethiopia, Eritrea and Somalia not major African countries? Perhaps not the biggest ones, but they are certainly not small. Did you know that a couple of years back the Italians sent back a monument that had been taken away from Ethiopia? I don't think that it was sent via the post to Italy as gratitude for their colonization.
Paul Micallef
Apr 23rd 2009, 12:36
That is why i support ENGLAND.
H Dempster
Apr 23rd 2009, 12:07
This occasion is exactly like during the war. They first throw the stone at us and then they run away from their responsiblity and cry out loud. And this is what they did during world war 2, they used to come flying very high in the sky, where you would hardly see them , then dump their bombs anywhere , run away , scared of our spitfires, and cry out victory, whereby most of the bombs would have ended in the sea. Mr Morroni should be kicked out of office. Come on Carmelo use your wits and give him what he deserves for the damage he has done to our island.
Alex Spiteri
Apr 23rd 2009, 11:55
@LGalea...Firstly, Italy never actually colonised any major African countries and it did stay there for a very short time. Although a very short stay, these countries are still enjoying the infrastructure, that these third world countries never managed to develop in all their ‘history’. So your argument that Italy or any other European country that colonised Africa should be responsible for the ongoing African invasion does not hold. After all, it was the African revolutionaries who through a campaign of murder and rape, kicked the ‘White Master’ out. Now, let them enjoy their Independence!
Secondly, as long this diplomatic rift between our country and Italy will go on, nothing will be solved. Summer is weeks away and another wave of immigrants is closer. If politicians from both countries involved in this dispute, left their egos and political ambitions aside, this incident would have been golden opportunity to halt once and for all the ongoing invasion. They should have enjoyed a short holiday somewhere and let the Turkish ship back on its way to Libya. Instead the two countries started blaming each other who should take them, when in realty, none of the two countries had any responsibility to take them!
philip pace
Apr 23rd 2009, 11:39
Mr. Galea,
I agree with you but I have been stating that for a long time re the colonised states in Africa.
I strongly believe that our big 'friends' in the EU do not want to find a solution to the problem as they have got a lot of skeletons hiding in their own closets.
The following countries have a lot of responsibilty on this. Italy, France, Germany, Netherlands,Belgium, United Kingdom, Spain and Portugal (probably).
They colonised African states, sucked and bleeded them dry and then they offered them a shamful independece .'Wham! Bam! Thank you, Mam!'.
Malta never had anything to do with these African states and is still in a strategic position, no matter how many Maltese 'Intellectuals' stated that Malta is not so anymore. How totally wrong they were.
And though I stand behind the Prime Minister and others on this, I do hope now that the PM has learnt a very hard lesson that with these big 'friends' in the EU he has to fight tooth and nail, especially the Italians!
Once more shame on Mr.Maroni!
Mar Bray
Apr 23rd 2009, 11:30
This is Berlusconi finding the solution to keeping one of his electoral manifesto promises to curb illegal immigration in Italy: dump them on Malta and have one of his minister have a hissy fit over the whole episode, bloating it out of proportion in an attempt to get the attention of the international community. Nothing more, nothing less. The Italian motto to solve problems? Throw the stone and hide your hand. In this case, dump a boatload of Africans to Malta and then scream, cry, lie like hell and twist the truth as much as you can. If you scream your lies loud and long enough, there’s bound to be someone who will believe you... Isn’t that what you’re all about Mr. Maroni?
LGalea
Apr 23rd 2009, 09:55
Mr Maroni, why shouldn't Italy now shoulder its burden for being the colonial master of the countries from where most of the illegal immigrants come from and wants to lump the illegal immigrants on us? With friends like you who needs enemies.