Gonzi defends position on base

Malta having only one airport and the proximity of military bases reinforced the government’s decision not to host any fighter jets used against the Gaddafi regime, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said last night.

“We have one airport, it’s an international airport; we have no military airport and there is a military base a few miles away in Sicily. Also, my priority as Prime Minister is the security of the country,” Dr Gonzi told The Sunday Times.

As French fighter jets yesterday took the first steps to enforce UN Resolution 1973, which aims to maintain a no-fly zone and protect civilians, the Maltese government came under fire from some quarters for barring military aircraft from using Malta International Airport to launch attacks against neighbouring Libya.

The government has consistently cited the neutrality clause in the Constitution, which makes it clear that no foreign military base will be permitted on Maltese territory and that no military facilities in Malta may be used by any foreign forces.

But the Constitution also states that military facilities may be permitted in case of self-defence, or “in pursuance of measures or actions decided by the Security Council of the United Nations” – something which was sanctioned last Thursday.

Asked whether he was prepared to rule out hosting military bases in future, Dr Gonzi replied: “There’s a military airport just a few minutes away from us and I don’t see the need for Malta to be used... but I leave all options open.”

On the other hand, Malta has no qualms about continuing its pivotal role on humanitarian and evacuation issues emerging from the Libya unrest.

The Prime Minister criticised foreign news reports which suggested Malta was sitting on the fence on the Libya crisis and insisted his government was fully cooperating with the implementation of the UN resolution.

“The only thing we’re saying is that Maltese territory should not be used as a military base to launch attacks,” he said.

“We took a rigid stand from the outset. We made it clear to the Libyan authorities that the regime was unsustainable and the end of (Muammar) Gaddafi is inevitable.”

He said the decision taken by world leaders in Paris yesterday to kickstart military intervention in Libya was unavoidable.

He added that the Gaddafi regime simply did not comprehend the gravity of the situation, and reiterated that a ceasefire was never going to be credible unless it was accompanied by the total withdrawal of government forces.

Earlier yesterday, the government said it would be willing to “collaborate” on a ceasefire in Libya, but insisted that any monitoring of this should be carried out under the auspices of the United Nations.

Libyan Foreign Minister Moussa Koussa said on Friday night that Libya wanted Malta, Turkey, Germany and China to monitor its ceasefire.