Muscat back after Gaddafi meeting
Gaddafi sends birthday greetings to Dom Mintoff
Video: Paul Spiteri Lucas
Libya is concerned about the forthcoming drilling by BP in the Gulf of Sirte and has insisted with the company that the most stringent safety precautions should be followed, Labour leader Joseph Muscat said this evening.
Speaking on his return from a visit to Libya during which he also had a meeting with Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, Dr Muscat said Libya believed that a disaster, similar to that which happened in the Gulf of Mexico, would be catastrophic in the Mediterranean.
In Libya, Dr Muscat also discussed illegal immigration and the recent incident which saw the Armed Forces of Malta sending back to Libya 27 Somali immigrants rescued from a sinking dinghy.
While the Maltese government and the AFM claimed that those sent back to Libya had been voluntarily repatriated, the migrants who stayed in Malta said the repatriation was forced.
The Libyan government, Dr Muscat said, confirmed the Maltese government’s version of events.
During his meeting with Col. Gaddafi, Dr Muscat said he expressed the hoped that relations between Malta and Libya would continue to develop. He delivered greetings from former party leader Dom Mintoff.
Col. Gaddafi sent birthday wishes to Mr Mintoff, who turns 94 on Friday.
Dr Muscat returned to Malta on a private aircraft provided by the Libyan government.
Following his first visit to Libya in 2008 Dr Muscat had also paid tribute to Mr Mintoff for his personal interest in the visit.
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Victor Vella
Aug 4th 2010, 17:17
Joseph Muscat has gone to Libya to keep relations in array as this government has to shy away the presence of Gonzi in Libya when his party used to call them tal-habaziz when Mintoff was building diplomatic relations with Libya. It could be that Joseph Muscat went to Libya that when the time comes Mr Gaddafi will again help Malta fianacially from its bankrupcy. History repeats itself. When the labour government was brought to power in the seventees the then Nationalist government had no money to pay its employees. We are in the same dire financial crisis under Gonzi regime. God only knows what financial dirth the Labour party will uncover if he wins the next election. Gonzi PN will do his utmost to gain his position because he does not want to show the dishonesty that the financial position of this nation is in. Whatever they say Gaddafi is a benefactor and donor to this Island and may God gives him strength and energy to live a healthy life.
Charles Busuttil
Aug 4th 2010, 12:38
Up to now we haven't read that when meeting foreign leaders Dr. Muscat has asked them to withdraw their investments from Malta.
lgalea
Aug 4th 2010, 11:31
Part3
It is still amazing to understand how a nationalist government abolished so many of these including the innocuous but lucrative Fishing Agreement in the early 90s under outside pressure. This had given Malta flagged fishing boats unrestricted access to the rich fishing zones stretching for 1700 km off Libya’s coastline.
40 years of Malta Libya relations – a brief overview.
By Dr. Alex Sceberras Trigona LL.D., M.A.(Oxon.) Former Foreign Minister of Malta and International Secretary, Malta Labour Party. 25/08/2009
M Vella
Aug 4th 2010, 11:55
And then we went to dig for oil and our Libya friends came to stop us with there gun boats,how is that for friendship
lgalea
Aug 4th 2010, 17:43
M Vella that shows you that contrary to what the PN government does, every other nation and leader fights to their utmost for their national interest irrespective if whom they are fighting with is their enemy or friend. Their interests comes first and this should always be the stand of every government in Malta. Of course I support Malta's stand and at least part of the area has been decided by the International Court of Justice. However the same cannot be said about the PN who when there was such a big national issue went to Libya and sided with Gaddafi.
lgalea
Aug 4th 2010, 11:28
Part2
Agreement for the establishment of a Maltese/Libyan fishing company signed in Tripoli on the 17th July 1978;
These were followed after 1979 by:- Co-operation Agreement signed in Valletta on the 10th August 1984 and its amendments of 24th September 1985 and 30th March 1988; Co-operation Agreement between Telemalta Corporation and the Libyan Jamahiriya Broadcasting signed in Valletta on the 19th August 1984; Trade Agreement signed in Tripoli on the 19th December 1984; Agreement for regulating scheduled air services between and beyond their respective territories signed in Tripoli on the 15th January 1985; Agreement on Co-operation signed in Valletta on the 5th November 1985; Agreement implementing Article III of the Special Agreement and the Judgement of the ICJ signed in Valletta on the 10th November 1986; Agreement on Social Security signed in Valletta on the 6th May 1988; Agreement on the setting up of a joint venture company to operate and run supermarkets at the Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya signed in Valletta on the 28th October 1988.
lgalea
Aug 4th 2010, 11:27
Part 1
Labour Achievments
Foremost among which and listed in the Friendship Treaty of 1984 were the following:-
Loan agreement signed in Tripoli, August 1971; Entry and exit visas agreement signed in Valletta on the 9th July 1972; Cultural Agreement signed in Tripoli on the 5th October 1972; Agreement on the Participation of Maltese contracting Companies in the execution of housing projects in Libya signed in Tripoli on the 5th October 1972; Agreement for the avoidance of double taxation with respect to taxes on income signed in Tripoli on 5th October 1972; Agreement for the encouragement of the movement of Capital for Investment signed in Valletta on the 8th February 1973; Agreement to supply Malta with refined/crude oil signed in Tripoli on 28 April, 1975; Agreement for the establishment of a Holding Company signed in Tripoli on the 19th May 1975; Agreement on broadcasting signed in Valletta on 20 June 1975; Loan agreement signed in Valletta on 29 July 1975; Special Agreement for the submission to the International Court of Justice of Difference signed in Valletta on the 23rd May 1976; Manpower Agreement signed in Tripoli on the 27th May 1978;
joanna farrugia
Aug 4th 2010, 11:24
@ david spiteri you know what its fishy the bwsc contract thats what s so fishy.
@ to all pn in here why all this fuss? he has all rights to meet whom he wants.at least he never said a bad thing abt gaddafi like most pn done. jm is doing his homework and thats it.
Karl Abela
Aug 4th 2010, 10:04
This meeting was a waste of time, unless of course, there were other private agendas not reported on this article.
m. borg (slm)
Aug 4th 2010, 10:34
Waste of time are the present 5 years of gonziPN government. Malta is going to the dogs.
Joe Mangion
Aug 4th 2010, 09:04
Sur Pisani, int fejn kont meta Fenech Adami, Censu Tabone u Demarco, dak inhar fl-Oppozzizzjoni, iltaqghu ma Gaddafi fi Tripli meta kellna il problema dwar il legalizzazzjoni ta documenti ta esportazzjoni lejn il Libya? Ghalik, dak inhar kien kollox sew, imma illum le? The point is how are we going to revamp our relations with our neighbour. No matter what one says, it results that the pn government has not succeeded in giving a substantial push to our relations with Libya. The PN government's agenda with the Libyans has been restricted to visas and illegal migration. Other european governments have jumped on the bad wagon and reaping the benefits. U ahna nittewbu.
m.borg (slm)
Aug 4th 2010, 09:02
Joseph doing what gonzi should have done in the first place. Secondly Joseph needs not wait to become PM to start looking after the country's interest.
david spiteri
Aug 4th 2010, 08:54
something smells really fishy .............. & please dont give us the bull regarding illegal immigration .
C.camilleri
Aug 3rd 2010, 23:37
@ PN apologists
Is Mintoff a Traitor?
Are the Libyans tal-habbaziz?
Joseph Scicluna
Aug 4th 2010, 10:48
whether mintoff is a traitor or not ask yourself and tell geddhafi to keep his hands off maltese politics.
Kurt Cardona
Aug 3rd 2010, 23:26
it would be interesting to know that an accident like the one that happened in the Gulf of Mexico couldn't happen anywhere outside America..
soo.. err.. the majority of what he said seems to be a bit fruitless :/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77pBcf0o444
ALEXANDER GENUIS
Aug 3rd 2010, 23:16
JIEN NISKANTA KEMM TAQAW FIL-BAXX U BLA SENS!!!IL-LAQGHA TA MUSCAT MA GADDAFFI KIENT UFFICJALI???JIPPREZENTA LILL PAJJIZ???MA JIPPREZENTAX LILL PAJJIZ META FL-ELEZZJONI TA L-E.U. TAKHOM TKAXKIRA???KEMM TINSEW??TGHID MA JRIDX IL-PERMESS TIEGHEK????DITTAUR??GHAX GADDAFI??BQAJTU MA TAHMLUWOMX LILL LIBJANI!!!WARA TANT SNIN!!!MIN JAF,FORSI JGIB XI QANPIENA MIN HEMM,FORSI WKOLL MA JINDUNAWX BIH L-AJRUPORT!!!!!!!!HALLUNA,HALLUNA,TAFU XI JGIB KUNFUZZJONI????XI KONT TAD-DAWL U L-ILMA!!!!!!!!!!!!HALLAS!!!HALLAS U RRABJA F'QALBEK!!!!!
George Pisani
Aug 3rd 2010, 22:16
I have a question for whoever can bother to answer: can Dr. Muscat represent Malta on such meetings abroad as if he is governing the country? Are they official in any way? If not, what's the use? And if not, aren't they counterproductive as they would create confusion with international leaders?
Thanks.
j muscat
Aug 3rd 2010, 22:48
Dear Mr. Pisani, I hope you are not of those that says the opposition is there for nothing, and after all Dr. Muscat (no relative of mine) has 5o% of the Maltese behind him & it's his duty to look after our interests.
R. Grech
Aug 3rd 2010, 23:28
I think Dr. Muscat in this case is there to represent the MLP and not Malta, to keep the ties of the party with other countries' leaders... and I wouldn't think international leaders can be confused as easily as you are alluding to either!
Kevin Borg
Aug 3rd 2010, 23:31
U hallih Sur Pisani enjoying himself pretending he is a Prime Minister. After all he is the PM in waiting.
lgalea
Aug 4th 2010, 11:21
George Pisani the PN opposition used to go to other countries to try and prevent FDI from being made in Malta and for those who had already invested to take it out again. Remember the Malta File? On the contrary, the PL when in Opposition as when in Government tries to bring FDI to Malta for the benefit of all Maltese citizens. Furthermore, if according to you foreign leaders may get confused you are judging foreign leaders according to your mentality and secondly if they are it shows how much they consider your Gonzi to be the country's leader.
M.Bezzina
Aug 4th 2010, 13:40
Nara hafna kummenti fejn jghidu li l oppozizzjoni ahjar toffri solluzzjoni milli tikkrita...mela l oppozizzjoni ghanda funzjoni fil pajjiz!!
G Falzon
Aug 3rd 2010, 22:02
While wishing Dom Mintoff a happy and serene birthday, I ask PL to decide and declare whether ex PM Mintoff is actually a traitor (as publicly declared by PM Alfred Sant) or a respectable person worthy of honour from the PL leader.
Jesmond Abela
Aug 3rd 2010, 21:41
Seems right for the leader of the opposition to travel with a private jet but NOT for the Prim minister !!!!!! Insew kemm kien jghidu kemm jigu jiswew il flights tal Prim meta isifer bil private jet. Oppozzijoni bla sinsla!!! L-aqwa li tghajjar u tipprova tmaqdar f’kollox
Mr. Muscat what type of guarantee you have in hands from Gaddaffi himself and BP if something happens !!!!!!
martin saliba
Aug 3rd 2010, 22:32
Wouldn't you have thought that the private jet was not paid for but was supplied by the libyan goverment ?
N. Bonello
Aug 3rd 2010, 23:45
Jesmond, think about it.
ie: Dr Muscat returned to Malta on a private aircraft provided by the Libyan government.
When Gonzi travels by private jet I usually pay for it.
Joe E galea
Aug 4th 2010, 08:28
Dear jesmond, before you speak you should learn to read well. JM was provided by a jet by the Libyan government. Gonzi flies with private jets provided by our taxes.
lgalea
Aug 4th 2010, 11:16
Jesmond Abela the jet provided by the Libyan Government shows the respect they have for the PL leaders. When Gonzi travels on a private jet we pay for it.
Jason Coleiro
Aug 3rd 2010, 21:20
@ Mr.Joseph Gaffarena
from a country ruled by a dictator.
It might be but they live far way better than us.I would suggest you going there for a holiday to see for yourself, you just need 3 days.
Kevin Borg
Aug 3rd 2010, 23:27
Who do you think you are fooling Mr.Coleiro. Have you ever been to Libya? Are you sure they are better off than we are because every time I was there and saw with my own eyes I was utterly convinced they are not better off.
L Bonnici
Aug 3rd 2010, 21:00
Expressing Malta's concern about BP's drilling in the Med. Sea doesn't mean anything at all as long as we the Maltese people are still supporting the oil industry. Malta should try to become more energy conscious and reduce their dependence on the oil industry ......
gaffarena joseph
Aug 3rd 2010, 18:44
Re A Abela,
Are you referring to the same person that Alfred Sant called him a traitor???????
A Abela
Aug 3rd 2010, 19:39
yes
Anton Bugeja
Aug 3rd 2010, 18:28
If an oil spill of the scale seen in the Gulf of Mexico occurs near Libya, will we have to shut our reverse osmosis plants?
joseph schembri
Aug 3rd 2010, 23:38
Yes. Also our Hotels.
A Abela
Aug 3rd 2010, 18:28
We wish Ad multus annos to the Saviour of Malta.
Franco Farrugia
Aug 3rd 2010, 22:21
I pity you. Still stuck in that past? Wow!
Kevin Borg
Aug 3rd 2010, 23:29
Yes he saved us from what? From himself maybe and the extreme socialism. O sorry to all we are still extreme socialists spending 22 million a year to pay up for the responsibilities of others in this society.
a abela
Aug 4th 2010, 03:08
I'm not stuck in the past. Isn't it a venerable age? And he was a great statesman.
rhuber
Aug 4th 2010, 05:54
@ Franco Farrugia
And I pity you! For if it was not for the past you will be looking for a boat to escape to another country, probably bare footed and without a Maltese passport.
lgalea
Aug 4th 2010, 11:14
A Abela those who answered you because you posted ad multos annos continue to show their hatred with which they have been brainwashed by the PN throughout the years for everything PL and Mintoff.
gaffarena joseph
Aug 3rd 2010, 18:18
Nothing new emerged.
Just another fruitless mission from a country ruled by a dictator.
Who is going to be the next one to shake hands with the colonel??
martin saliba
Aug 3rd 2010, 22:28
Malta was able to free itsself from its last occupiers with the help of libya. The PN , in the 1980's , used to call them " tal habbaziz ". Only recently did our PM go grovelling to the colnel.
I can still remember one of the first gifts we got from Libya, 14 new Honda 750 police motorcycles to replace the crap we were left with from the british. libya opened factories to employ our workforce that are to many to remember let alone mention here,and quite a few of them are still here. One that comes to mind is medelec. So to say " another friutless mission " would be far from the truth. If only the americans had invested in malta as much as the libiyans as was promised by the PN.
Jossy Simpson
Aug 4th 2010, 08:38
Martin Saliba.....so Libya gave us some cars, and what did the EU give us? And we complain all the time about it!!!! .... kulhadd jitkellem politikament!!!!!!
lgalea
Aug 4th 2010, 11:12
Jossy Simpson, €182,192 membership fee, taxes, loss of sovereignty, loss of work, the destruction of everything that we had built at great sacrifices, invasion bu foreigners, invasion by illegal immigrats, orders that are not in our interests and a host of other colonialist orders.
Louise Vella
Aug 3rd 2010, 18:10
An online poll, currently on timesofmalta.com, shows that 81.2% out of 6498 respondents are of the view that illegal immigrants who put their lives deliberately in danger, and are picked up in central Mediterranean waters, should be sent back to Libya. Did the Libyan authorities express their agreement with this view?
Sean Grima
Aug 4th 2010, 08:28
countires are governed according to law, not online polls.
T Camilleri
Aug 4th 2010, 11:09
Sean Grima governments who disregard the peoples voice do so at their political peril.
M Vella
Aug 3rd 2010, 18:07
When are we going to drill for oil our self,that is the only solution for this rock named Malta
c spiteri
Aug 4th 2010, 07:20
ask G. DEMARCO AND.... DOM MINTOFF
M Vella
Aug 4th 2010, 11:12
Mr Spiteri can you explain please?