Gaddafi planning to attend 5+5 Malta meeting
Video: Mark Zammit Cordina, Photos: Omar Camilleri, DOI
Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi is planning to be in Malta for the 5+5 summit being held here in June. The summit will group heads of government of North African and European countries bordering the Mediterranean..
The summit has gained in importance because of the developing situation in North Africa, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said on his arrival in Malta this morning following a surprise visit to Libya.
During his visit, Dr Gonzi, who was accompanied by Foreign Minister Tonio Borg, had meetings with Col. Gaddafi and Libyan Prime Minister Baghdadi Mahmudi.
Dr Gonzi said that one of primary themes of the meetings was on the developing situation in North Africa and how the 5+5 could contribute towards stability in region with full respect for the people in the affected countries.
Like Malta, Libya was closely watching the events taking place in the region and everyone hoped thast stability would return, Dr Gonzi said.
The 5+5 will be preceded with a preparatory meeting of foreign ministers in April.
The talks between Col Gaddafi and Dr Gonzi also dealt with the oil exploration issue between the two countries and their disagreement on the delineation of the continental shelf. Both sides are hoping for a solution to the problem and a technical meeting is to be held in Libya next month, Dr Gonzi said.
The two sides also continued to discuss several issues including visas, education and immigration.
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Mario egiorgio
Feb 11th 2011, 12:38
We have been hearing the same story with regards the "meetings" on the median line for twenty years now. We want soemthing more concrete now!.
Carmel Cilia
Feb 9th 2011, 18:04
Kif Gaddafi ihossu naqra skomdu bis-sitwazzjoni dinjija jipprova jara ma min se jserrah. F'dan il- Kaz nahseb li anke il-prim qieghed jipprova iserrah. Jaghmel sew. Fejn jaqbel jaqbillu iqabbel ghal gid ta pajjizna. Pero jekk il- passat hu mera ma tantx ghandu cans ma dawn in nies. Minn kif jidher meta jkollhom bzonna ma jiddejqux juzawna. Hekk u dan il- kaz ghajb ghal prim li jhalli lil dan(tal-Habbaziez) jinqeghda bih. Sa fejn naf jien qatt ma gab xejn minn hemm. Forsi u jalla jirnexxilu. Il.P.L. zgur mhux se jghamel bhal ma kien ghamel il-partit tal P.N. u jparla zzejjed.
C A Camilleri
Feb 9th 2011, 16:12
Wind of change blowing?...... http://www.corriere.it/esteri/11_febbraio_09/libia-proteste-gheddafi_699bcab2-3430-11e0-89a3-00144f486ba6.shtml
ASpiteri
Feb 9th 2011, 15:41
if only we could access the transcript of the whole meeting!!
godwin difesa
Feb 9th 2011, 16:52
It is good that the 2 leaders meet regularly but i hope that the solution about exploring for oil
will be solved and not leaving the Libyan government dictating as in the past years at least now
we are part of the EU and we have who can defend us.It is not acceptable that all the countries
around us have oil or gas and with a big surprise for almost all the Maltese people we cannot find, something some where smells.So let hope for the best may be one day our country will
have these natural resources what belongs to us so can make tax payers and citizens
pay less.
Muscat Pat
Feb 9th 2011, 15:26
M'ghadhomx tal-habbaziz issa!
Frank Portelli 2BFRANK
Feb 9th 2011, 15:25
Stability in the region will come with Democracy not with Dictatorship.
Most decent Arabs are fed up with dictatorships.
Huge oil reserves mean nothing to young Arabs who cannot find a job, face housing shortages and a high cost of living – with no prospect of change through democratic means.
Libya is sandwiched between Tunis and Egypt and expect contagion
No wonder they are keeping an eye on the developing north african situation
A wave of democracy is spreading in North Africa.
I would not venture to guess who will be the leaders who will be attending the 5+5 in Malta in June 2011.
Dr Frank Portelli
A.Busuttil
Feb 9th 2011, 15:03
walet l-elezzjoni?
Libya
Zejt
Bridge jew tunnel
dejjem l-istess storja
Sur PM il-poplu tghallem bil kbir
A. E. Abela
Feb 9th 2011, 14:14
‘The Malta mining oil dream’ has been about for the past 50 years or so. Many think that this is the solution to all our problems, I regret to envisage the opposite. If one had to look closely at the countries which possess wealthy resources like oil, diamonds, gold, uranium etc. it is evident that wars, starvation, abuse and corruption are some of the few negative elements brought about to their civilians and, except for the few ruling elite, life cannot get anymore miserable. Malta will be no different; people are the same everywhere and where there is big money there is big abuse. This is like the story of the dog with the bone -if we had to manage properly what we have and stay out of this warmongering mentality, we can fare much better.
P.Cassar
Feb 9th 2011, 14:08
DEAR P. M. THE GOZO TUNNEL AND THIS VISIT MAY BE YOUR AGENDA BUT THE PEOPLE'S AGENDS IS VERY, VERY DIFFERENT............PLEASE LISTEN.
Norman Lowell
Feb 9th 2011, 13:11
Could the PM inform us how many minutes, or seconds, he spent with the Colonel?
Could the PM inform us how many hours, or minutes, he spent with his counterpart?
Just an answer to those two, simple questions would explain all.
J Brincat
Feb 9th 2011, 12:31
@aaron busuttil.
That was the reason for my missive. I can still vividly remember when the Old Colonel send his gun boats when we tried to explore oil in the area under dispute. AND this at a time when we were supposed to be blood brothers!
Godwin Borg
Feb 9th 2011, 12:15
Ghalhekk fil hajja maghandekx taghajjar lill hadd, ghax ma tafx meta tista' tigi bzonn lill dak li tkun ippruvajt tidihaq bih.
Izda hallina mill-passat. L-importanti issa li naraw li dawn il-laqghat ihallu l-frott mehtieg, inkunu sodi fil fehmiet taghna, niggieldu ghal dak li hu taghna bi dritt, u ma nkunux laqgha ta hadd. Nahseb li dawn l-issues ma ghandniex nipoliticizawhom. Wasal iz-zmien fis-sena 2011 li nimaturaw ftit ghal gid ta' kulhadd u l-paroli fil-vojt inhalluh fil-gemb, u nkunu qed naghmlu pjacir lilna nfusna.
J Brincat
Feb 9th 2011, 12:14
Why do we keep licking the boot of the old colonel?
aaron busuttil
Feb 9th 2011, 12:24
hydrocarbons my friend.... and also shoreline
C V Diacono
Feb 9th 2011, 11:54
Discussions are always commendable. The discussions about these type of talks have started long ago when Mintoff was the first leader to dream about the Union of the Mediterranean.
It is today very good to see the leader of the Nationalist Party finally understanding the importance of having close ties with all our neighbour countries, not only the European ones. Due to opportunistic and ideological reasons, PN normally adopts a negative unhealthy campaign against anyone who is not necessarily European.
Gonzi always tries to steal the merit of past Labour achievements. He should do the same in this case as well, and respect the importance of our North African neighbours.
Lina Caruana
Feb 9th 2011, 11:44
This conversation is not constructive in an international fora full of tension.If you love your country and want to serve it watch what you say that will harm your country's position with other countries. This is not a Maltese partisan game but serious discussions among people of great weight in decisions that will make or mar the future of mankind.How can you believe that your discourse will do any good?So why say it?
Pat Hobson
Feb 9th 2011, 11:48
Would you have said the same if the PL was in government? For as I recall, it was the PN who went abroad and distributed the (in)famous Maltafile to repulse foreign investment from the island. The PL was in government at the time!
eric psaila
Feb 9th 2011, 11:24
The usual rhetoric
Karl Abela
Feb 9th 2011, 11:20
This would be another feather in Lawrence Gonzi's hat if he can sort out this territory dispute so that we claim our much waited for oil reserves.
How this can be done remains to be seen because a chihuahua can never challenge a pitbull terrier...
r spiteri
Feb 9th 2011, 11:29
ftakar li il-makku dahal fl-ewropa habib
Miriam Vella
Feb 9th 2011, 11:30
Does he have any feathers in his cap? I don't see any. Unless you start calling scandals and incompetence by another name.
john vella
Feb 9th 2011, 11:40
Dear Karl, the first part of your message: 'it would be another feather in the hat'. Tthis particular hat must be really a BIG hat because the past feathers are hard to find.
As for the second part that chihuahua can never challenge a pitbull. I guess that is questionable too because pitbulls are changed by law and a chihuahua can give you a bite! it all depend how aggressive is the chihuahua. ):
George Fazon
Feb 9th 2011, 11:40
Are you saying our dear PM is a red indian chief? I wonder what his name is
Sitting Bull: No - a great warrior
Geronimo: No - a great warrior
Sitting Pretty: I think this is it.
John micallef
Feb 9th 2011, 15:39
I don't want to sound too pesimistic, but with Libya, what Mintoff have not achieved it's not doable. Gonzi better asked him how can that he have enough strong hands that he managed to split the EU in 2, by this time last year. As this smart Libyan guy, every body talks against him, but since he has the black gold he always get it his way (wether you like it or not, most times no)