Eurozone crisis - PM says treaty change should be last resort

Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said today that Malta remains of the view that treaty change should be considered as a last resort to solve the eurozone's debt crisis and settle the markets.

Speaking  at the airport after talks in Copenhagen with the Danish prime minister, Dr Gonzi said treaty change was a complex and long process which involved ratification by all national government.

However there could be other ways to settle the current crisis, the Dr Gonzi said, including mechanisms to make currentfiscal discipline safeguards effective. However Malta would back the option of treaty change if that was seen as necessary for the crisis to be settled.

Dr Gonzi said the government was awaiting the details of the proposals made yesterday by French President Sarkozy and German Chancellor Merkel as well as proposals due to be made by EU President Van Rumpoy.

In Copenhagen Dr Gonzi had talks with Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt as part of a consultation process before Denmark assumes the EU presidency on January 1.

The talks focused on the presidency's priorities, notably the regulation of the financial sector and the creation of 'green' hobs. They also discussed migration and the situation in the Mediterranean.