Updated: Foreign Ministry denies that former diplomat gave UK sensitive information

Joe Cassar

Nov 3rd 2009, 07:17

@ Mr R Spiteri

It may have escaped your notice but during the "8 years" that you mention, the PN was in Government.

So if anyone is "late" in bringing the matter up, it is the PN government - for obvious reasons.

In any case, what matters is that an alleged crime is being left uninvestigated, not when or by whom.

wally vella-zarb

Nov 3rd 2009, 01:17

@ R.Spiteri

"2001 minus 1971 = 30 years"

Brilliant! You get full marks for your Arithmetic .... but ZERO for your History!

In the year 2001 we had a PN Government; therefore, your original question "Why didn't the MLP government investigate this in the 70s and 80s and 96-98?" falls flat into the mud that YOU are seeking to throw against the MLP.

R Spiteri

Nov 2nd 2009, 22:30

@wally vella zarb

2001 minus 1971 = 30 years

We are 2009. So Labour is 8 years late in coming up with an issue, which is just mud slugging against a public officer.

reno calleja

Nov 2nd 2009, 22:00

That the case was investigated by an employee of the Foreign Ministry, answerable to the Minister himself, has in my view , weakened the credibility in the report.

The report was compiled and presented by Ms Cecilia Attared Pirotta. She is no doubt a woman of great integrity and honesty. However in this very serious case, an independenet enquiry headed by a hired judge, accepted by the Government and the Oppsotion, would have been more appropriate.

Victor Laiviera

Nov 2nd 2009, 21:40

The information released by the British authorities indicates, prima facia, that Mr De Barro was passing information he obtained through his employnent a a Maltese diplomat to the British authorities.

This is, again prima facia, is criminal, if not treasonous, behaviour.

The proper authorities to investigate this are the polic and/or a magisterial inquiry.

A report by another civil servant, however high-ranking, is merely and opiniopn with no legal weight whatsoever.

The police have a righ and a DUTY to investigate such cases on their own initiative, without waiting to be instructed to do so by anyone. Failing that, they are in deriliction of duties.

wally vella-zarb

Nov 2nd 2009, 19:37

@ R.Spiteri "Why didn't the MLP government investigate this in the 70s and 80s and 96-98?" For the simple reason that this information, like other British Government confidential documents (but not all), only becomes public after at least thirty years have elapsed! In your haste to attack the MLP you seriously risk tripping yourself by uttering stupidities.

R Spiteri

Nov 2nd 2009, 19:04

Who are we to label someone? Who are we to judge what happened in some corridor in Libya 40 years ago?

Why didn't the MLP government investigate this in the 70s and 80s and 96-98?

I am sure that Mintoff would have taken action should there have been any fault by a Maltese diplomat. So is Muscat aware of info that was not known by Mintoff and Sant?!!

wally vella-zarb

Nov 2nd 2009, 17:36

@ Mr Joseph Cauchi

"Many would consider Mr. DeBarro’s actions as patriotic"

Totally wrong, Sir! A Government employee is NOT free to decide for himself what is or is not 'in the country's interest'. That is something for the Government of the day to establish. The public employee's job is not to make policy but to implement it, regardless of his personal views about it. If a policy goes drastically against an employee's personal convictions, to the extent that they would override his duty of loyalty to the Government that he represents, then perhaps he should seriously ask himself if he is in the right job. This is especially the case when relations with foreign Governments are concerned.

Anything contrary to this principle is tantamount to treason and anarchy. Been there, done that, got the Tee-shirt.

C. Busuttil

Nov 2nd 2009, 17:24

@ Joseph Cauchi
I am amazed at your warped argument. What were his personal reasons for spying on his country is neither here nor there. He was a member of the Diplomatic Corps and he knew his duties and the rules the game is played. Using your argument we should also hail Carmelo Borg Pisani as a national hero and maybe even set up 'Il-Borg Pisani Day' in his memory.

Some people and arguments turn my stomach!!

A. Zahra

Nov 2nd 2009, 17:07

My feeling is that the diplomat concerned passed on information that the Government of the time wanted to pass on because it strengthened the Maltese negotiators hand.

Muscat. Pat

Nov 2nd 2009, 16:57

British documents suggest whom the mole was. The mole gave them ( the Brits) sensitive information at a very sensitive time for Malta. Such moles are dealt utmost seriousness ( in Us and UK) and more often than not, either a life sentence or death is given if there is high treason. Are we suppose to believe that the Brits were inventing things?

eric saliba

Nov 2nd 2009, 16:43

@ pierre agius. the perm sec at the Maltese Foreign Office described the info passed onto the UK govt as 'sensitive'. this surely was not the latest Arsenal score at the Emirates!!

@ j farrugia. if you know of anyone passing info to the PL and doing so in an illegal manner it is your duty to inform the authorities concerned. in the absence of this knowledge maybe you should consider shutting up.
i wonder what you Gonzi/pn apologists would be saying if this was someone from the PL ranks passing 'sensitive' info to a foreign govt!!

Joseph Borg

Nov 2nd 2009, 16:05

So the foreign ministry has concluded that "Mr de Barro was only expressing personal opinions on the current situation, which did not involve sensitive information."

A very very interesting conclusion indeed... or rather ASSUMPTION!!!! And how on earth can a diplomat share his so-called 'opinions', undressing himself of his 'diplomatic' language, in the delicate diplomatic situation then, with a diplomat whose govt was at loggerheads with the govt represented by the said Maltese diplomat??? And worse still, in a country (Libya) that was within the strategic equation at that time... an equation that the Maltese diplomat was surely very well informed about!!!!!

Since when has the foreign ministry been serving as a laundry?

Imma kemm hsibtu li n-nies ghadhom cwiec???

Joseph Cauchi

Nov 2nd 2009, 16:00

I wouldn’t be surprised if thousands of Maltese citizens would have acted the same way as Mr. Ives DeBarro in the circumstances, as Malta was facing its destiny in that period of history, vis-à-vis Libya’s Gaddafi!

Many would consider Mr. DeBarro’s actions as patriotic.

JC.

Pierre Agius

Nov 2nd 2009, 14:20

I will never understand these politics of 'Don Camillo and Peppone'. What case of spying? Either the opposition knows more than what has been disclosed or else it is really into nitty-gritty. Bollocks. Waste of time.

J Farrugia

Nov 2nd 2009, 14:20

helena Dalli. Better see those spies in government departments who are spying for your party and inciting against innocent workers in such departments. These are the moles you need to destroy from your party to be electable and not those who put Malta's interests first and foremost.