Italian Speaker proposes ways to avoid 'minor' diplomatic clashes

Malta and Italy should collaborate to set proper procedures on how search and rescue operations were carried out in order to avoid "minor" diplomatic incidents between the two countries, the president of the Italian Chamber of Deputies, Gianfranco Fini, said yesterday.

He said both countries should show other EU member states that illegal migration was a European problem and not just affecting Mediterranean countries.

Last year, Malta and Italy squabbled over illegal migrants and which of the two countries had to rescue a group of migrants stranded on the high seas.

Malta insisted that rescued migrants should be taken to the closest port of call but Italy had initially resisted accepting two boats of migrants because of a difference in interpretation. Eventually, Italy took the migrants but accused Malta of shirking its responsibility.

Speaking to Maltese journalists after the Italian media hijacked a planned press conference to question him on Italian politics, Mr Fini said there should be established procedures on search and rescue operations so that the problems that happened between Italy and Malta in the past would not be repeated.

Referring to the incidents, he said they were just "minor mishaps and misunderstandings in the strong relationship between the two countries".

He said Italy wanted to see a reduction in the number of people trying to enter countries illegally and added that Libya was not the only place from where such people left.

To this end, Italy wanted to see more cooperation to ensure the social and economic development of such countries because "illegal immigration would not be resolved unless countries that needed help were assisted".

Cyprus, Spain, Greece, Italy and Malta should tackle the problem together even at an EU level, he said.

Mr Fini was in Malta for just a few hours when he held talks with President George Abela, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi, Foreign Minister Tonio Borg, Opposition Leader Joseph Muscat and the House Foreign Affairs Standing Committee, chaired by former Foreign Minister Michael Frendo. He also met Speaker Louis Galea, who had invited him to Malta.

During his meeting with Dr Borg, it was proposed that regular meetings on defence issues related to illegal migration be held. Dr Borg also suggested the setting up of a committee between the two Parliaments to strengthen ties between the two countries.

Dr Borg said Malta and Italy, being so close to each other and having such a good relationship, should cooperate more on illegal migration and use their friendship to bring results for the Mediterranean. Italy, he said, had backed Malta in its efforts to host the offices of the EU refugee agency.

Mr Fini's visit was one in a series of exchanges paving the way for a state visit in Malta by Italian President Giorgio Napolitano later this year.

In December last year, Italian Health Minister Ferruccio Fazio visited Malta to sign an agreement on cooperation in the health sector.