PM hopes for energy agreement with Libya
Dr Gonzi with Mr Zeidan. Photo: Jeremy Wonnacott, DOI
The Prime Minister has expressed hope that Malta would reach an energy agreement with Libya with a view to secure oil purchases from the North African state.
He was addressing a news conference at the Radisson in Tripoli following a meeting with Libyan Prime Minister Ali Zeidan, which was also attended by Finance Minister Tonio Fenech.
Dr Lawrence Gonzi said that the meeting discussed the dispute over the continental shelf, illegal migration and cooperation on a number of areas, including education, where the MCAST institute could be involved to help with Libya’s educational needs.
The Prime Ministers also discussed the freezing of assets belong to the Libyan state and assets which were believed to belong to the Gaddafi family and their associates.
Dr Gonzi said Malta was at the forefront in freezing the assets when the conflict began, in line with European Union and United Nations sanctions but, Dr Gonzi pointed out, he himself had made the point about the unfreezing of assets within the EU as a measure to help Libya fund its reconstruction.
He invited a team from the Libyan authorities to come to Malta and make the necessary fact finding to enable them to unfreeze the assets in line with international law.
“Malta is more than willing to make this process as fast as possible,” he said.
When asked about the prospects of reaching an agreement on energy, Mr Zeidan said Libya would do “the best it can” to reach an agreement in this area.
Asked by timesofmalta.com about the sort of help Libya needed to deal with illegal migration, Mr Zeidan said the country was in talks with the EU with a view to improve security in general, also incorporating the concern over illegal migration.
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38 Comments
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Eddy Privitera
Dec 8th 2012, 20:18
The PN had 25 years to drill for oil. Very little happened. In 22 months Dr. Sant's labour government ACTED and started drilling in Gozo
Pippo de Marco
Dec 8th 2012, 10:48
Agreement my eye ! - Agreements take time and neither of these men will be in charge for much longer.
This was just pre-election photo-posing and PN spin-doctors trying to make the PM look more statesmanlike than Joseph Muscat.
Maybe Gonzi was right about his 'shallow talent pool' after all, because this pitiful PR effort was certainly 'shallow'
Mark Borg
Dec 8th 2012, 09:37
All this talk of 'oil' and concessions for drilling... How come? Of course, a general election is just round the corner. The only talk about 'oil' these past five years had to do with fuel price hikes every blessed month!
Vincent Cassar
Dec 8th 2012, 09:37
So what? This is good...if it is true; and if it is true then any new government will surely keep working on the agreement to honour it for our benefit. Therefore, this is no news at all if it was meant to give any political mileage. The intelligence of the Maltese people should stop being offended by politicians and their elves and acolytes!
George Joseph Cauchi
Dec 8th 2012, 09:30
I think the Maltese people have given up hope. As far as we are concerned nothing has changed since the days of Gadafi. We should learn from the past and make sure we strengthen our defences as soon as possible. Look at the situation in Egypt and expect the same closer to home.
David Magro
Dec 8th 2012, 09:21
Kemm kien jiswa Dom Mintoff ghan negozzjati...anqas jibda hedejn GonziPN!!!
Charles Grixti
Dec 8th 2012, 06:52
Just pray to God we do not find any oil. See what happens to countries that do. The profits go to the big Oil companies, some residuals go to the few leaders on top in each country and the rest of the people get the polluted sea, toxic air and the increased diseases associated with this industry. Keep it away from Malta.
Laurence Brincat
Dec 7th 2012, 21:32
I think that to get some economic help out of the Libyan Govt is going to be close to impossible. They do not need our assistance now as their fight to remove Gaddafi is over....
Louise Vella
Dec 7th 2012, 20:39
Did Dr Gonzi tell the Libyan prime minister that Libya has an obligation under international law to stop illegal immigrants from leaving Libyan territory illegally?
Justin Spiteri
Dec 7th 2012, 21:20
International Law?. Libyan People, unlike us, are slaves to nobody.
Seamus Riolo
Dec 8th 2012, 02:53
Wrong Justin Spiteri, they were not slaves to anybody untill Gadafi's death. You will understand in the future hopefully :)
mark borg
Dec 8th 2012, 08:05
international law ? ...unlike us they are not EU yes man /slaves
j brincat
Dec 7th 2012, 20:16
"The Prime Minister has expressed hope that Malta would reach an energy agreement with Libya with a view to secure oil purchases from the North African state"
Oh, yes!
In the anno mai!
Did he discuss with him the illegal immigrants problem from where they depart but Libya turns a blind eye when it comes to search and rescue?
(jb)
(jb)
P. Attard
Dec 7th 2012, 20:06
I sincerely hope that these Libyans will finally start treating us as they should, but I really doubt it!
K. Vella II
Dec 7th 2012, 18:56
All that oil sitting unexploited in Maltese territory, and we go begging Libya for an energy agreement. Sewwa.
m. borg (slm)
Dec 7th 2012, 18:36
Asked by timesofmalta.com about the sort of help Libya needed to deal with illegal migration, Mr Zeidan said the country was in talks with the EU with a view to improve security in general, also incorporating the concern over illegal migration.
I though Simon Busutill had taken care of this with his much boasteed Frontex and Burden Sharing.
The chickens have come home to roost.
M. Attard
Dec 7th 2012, 18:12
asking Libyans to help you, is just like asking an extra terrestrial for help. But you can keep hoping.
Muhannad Shembesh
Dec 7th 2012, 17:57
Libya is in a transitional period, even this government of Mr Ziedan is just there for only a year until we a constitution and the new elections take place. I'm sure once we have a permanent elected government, Libya won't forget those who helped.
Just be patient my dear maltese friends...
E. Azzopardi
Dec 7th 2012, 17:35
We have done so much and even saved many lives for many countries, but especially for Libya and all we got up till now were a few " Thank Yous". Accepted, but we now hope that this will now be converted in concrete action and help is given to Malta where it is mostly needed. And not only from Libya.
We stopped counting the number of countries who said that they were so greatfull to us.
Peppi Borg
Dec 7th 2012, 17:19
About time! On the election eve gonzipn starts doing what it should have been doing for years.
michael scicluna
Dec 7th 2012, 16:59
mela issa ghandna bzonn naghmlu xi ftehim rigward l energija? Mela ma ghamlux l aqwa ftehim possibli bil BWSC?
Anthony Paul Naudi
Dec 7th 2012, 16:48
U ajma kemm ser indumu nigru wara dawn in-nies li meta kienu fil-bzonn serju ta' ghajnuna, Malta kienet l-ewwel li ghamlet minn kollox biex tghin u hadet riskji enormi ghax kieku l-affarijiet marru zmerg ahna u ahna biss konna inbghatu l-konsegwenzi u huma biex jaghjnu lilna qieshom ser jaghmlulna pajacir. Tajjeb inakkruhom x'kienu ghamlulna fil-medina bank ghax kieku ahna sinjuri zghar
AP Naudi
Alfred Vassallo
Dec 7th 2012, 16:45
Desperate times call for desperate measures!
Paul Azzopardi
Dec 7th 2012, 16:41
When someone say they will do ''the best they can'' normally it means completely the opposite. After all the assistance we've given Libya they should extend the same cooperation we offered when they needed us. WE didnt say ''we will try to do the best we can'', They know they can if they want to but now its a competition between other major countries who have better means of negotiations than us .
Brian Gatt
Dec 7th 2012, 16:12
I guess soon during the electoral campaign we will be hearing how after very tough negotiations the PM managed to obtain good deal on the energy from Libya and hence now they are in a position to reduce the utility bills....I would bet a million Euros if I only had them !!!
Paul Borg
Dec 7th 2012, 16:39
Mintoff did it all before and in very harsh circumstances....with success. I am not impressed
Mr raynond ciancio
Dec 7th 2012, 16:46
brian for sure you cannot have a million euros, not if you have the tarifs we have, but isn't it amazing that after calling mintoff all the names in the world when he died, and most being disgusted that he got involved with the libyans, funny how this gonzi is now trying the same trick.
Joseph Cauchi Senior
Dec 7th 2012, 19:24
@ Raymond Ciancio,
The PN was against Mintoff’s close relations with the dictator Gaddafi and not the Libyan people!
In fact when the opportunity arose to help the Libyans get rid of the dictator Gaddafi, the PN government of Lawrence Gonzi was the first to help the new Libyan revolution and get rid of the dictator Gaddafi, unlike of course Joseph Muscat and the MLP!
JC.
Kevin Sciberras
Dec 7th 2012, 21:47
@Joseph Cauchi Senior
If I recall, it was our PM the last PM to HUG Ghaddafi
Anthony Scicluna
Dec 8th 2012, 07:08
@Mr Cancio
Mintoff partnered with Ghaddafi not just Libyans. Libya of today is NOT Ghaddafi. Clearer than that?
J Martinelli
Dec 7th 2012, 14:43
A classical example how a Nationalist government keeps national interest ahead of local politics.
Eddy Privitera
Dec 7th 2012, 18:53
J. Martinelli; Try to get information about what the PN Opposition had done when Gaddafi had sent gunboats to stop Malta drilling for oil ! The PN opposition went to Libya and sided with the Libyans ! Was that in the national interest too ? OR when the PN distributed abroad 'The Malta File ' ? Or when it appealed to German entrepreneurs not to invest in Malta ? The national interest , my foot !
J Martinelli
Dec 7th 2012, 20:40
@Eddy
Nonsense - pure tripe.
The gunboat episode was in Mintoff's time and I read no reports that he succeeded in persuading the Libyans to let him drill for oil. With friends like Gaddafi, who needed enemies?
The other allegations you made were during the time when your friends were busy burning the Times down, shooting and killing Nationalists and when KMB held on to a minority govt for 5yrs
Roderick Micallef
Dec 7th 2012, 21:39
Yeah, by 'hoping' to achieve things that never actually materialize. I wonder what people like you would say if the prime minister actually managed to reach some kind of 'agreement' but in the mean time let's keep hoping. It also seems that you know for fact who shot and killed Nationalists, no one has ever been incriminated on these cases. I challenge you to report this to the authorities!
Kevin Sciberras
Dec 7th 2012, 21:45
J Martinelli, who sent Franco Debono the "skartocc"? KMB and MLP supporters?
Time to go back building snowmen in Canada.
Anthony Paul Naudi
Dec 8th 2012, 04:50
Id-diskors iddawwruh kif tridu u kif jaqblillkhom. Tghid mhux Pietru Pawl Buzuttil kien qed jispara fuq in-nazzjonalisti, insejtuh il-frame up ? Dawk li kontu issejhulhom blood brothers ghax kien jaqblillkhom u tafu ghaliex il-PN tahsbu li kien qed ihassar il-festi dwar l-esplorazzjoni taz-zejt. ? u halluna ejja ma nitfawx il-gebla u nahbu idejna u nkunu onesti.
A.P.Naudi
M. Agius
Dec 7th 2012, 14:31
What about all the maltese businesses that lost money due to the conflict and due to gaddaffi's corruption? Will the new government try to address that?
Julian Borg
Dec 7th 2012, 22:09
Why?
Please choose the reason of your report below: