The opposition was careful in what it said about the uprising in Libya given the delicate situation where people’s lives and well-being could be at stake, Labour leader Joseph Muscat said yesterday.
The national interest had to be considered, not only now but also for the future when the situation calmed down and Maltese workers would return to Libya, Dr Muscat said on the party’s station, One Radio.
Dr Muscat unreservedly condemned the violence in Libya, saying human rights should always be respected.
Turning to the recently-imposed UN sanctions, Dr Muscat pointed out these were directed at Muammar Gaddafi’s leadership and not at the people.
But, keeping in mind Malta’s neutrality status, the UN Security Council’s decision was an important one, which Malta, as a UN member, was bound to follow.
Over the past few days, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi kept him informed about the decisions being taken in relation to the Libya crisis, something Dr Muscat said he appreciated.
The opposition had no problem with Malta being used for humanitarian reasons in this crisis, he added.
Dr Muscat thanked all Air Malta staff for their service in Libya and pointed out how the crew even left the safety of their aircraft to track Maltese passengers in the chaos of Tripoli airport. This did not happen in the case of commercial or low-cost airlines, he noted.
The Libya uprising proved Air Malta was a strategic national asset not only from the commercial point of view to support tourism but also from a security point of view. “What would have happened if we did not have Air Malta? We do not have large military aircraft, so who would have picked up the Maltese workers from Libya if the government did not have control over Air Malta,” he asked.
The crisis had shown once more how right former Prime Minister Dom Mintoff had been at the Helsinki CSCE conference in the 1970s to insist that European security was linked to security in the Mediterranean.
“This crisis revealed how the EU needed to rethink and place a stronger focus on its Mediterranean policy,” Dr Muscat said. “This crisis should give Malta impetus for serious dialogue between the peoples of the Mediterranean.”
The opposition was backing the government with regard to any pressure that was needed and preparations which had to be made in case of an exodus of migrants from Libya. One should not alarm anyone but one should be prepared, Dr Muscat said.
Malta needed to fulfil its humanitarian obligations but it must also safeguard its national interest and, while expressing solidarity with other countries at this time of crisis, Europe had to do likewise with Malta should the need arise.
“In the same way as we are helping others, we expect that others help us if a migration crisis develops,” Dr Muscat said.