Updated - The EU is discussing its‘game plan’ regarding Libya and the meeting of heads of government currently being held in Brussels is also expected to reach conclusions which have been largely pushed by Italy and Malta, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said this evening.
Speaking to the press in a break from the summit proceedings, he said that apart from the summit itself, talks are being held in Brussels with the various parties involved in the current uncertain situation in Libya.
He said he had had a long discussion with the EU representative for foreign affairs, Federica Mogherini, on the EU plan for Libya based on the talks held by the United Nations special envoy to Libya Bernardino Leon.
Malta’s view, Dr Muscat said, was that anything that was done should be under the aegis of the United Nations and should also involve Arab countries. The EU could not be seen as imposing itself on Arab countries, but should be working with them.
He said talks were also being held about the alternatives which could be taken if talks aimed at the formation of a national unity government in Libya failed. In this area too there appeared to be a very clear game plan for which Malta was contributing.
Dr Muscat said the summit this evening discussed and endorsed the European Commission’s proposals for an energy union in the EU.
The initiative, he said, was a ‘perfect fit’ with the Malta government’s plans for the sector, including the proposal for a Mediterranean gas platform. This could lead to the financing of a gas pipeline between Malta and Sicily and eventually, once there was stability, with Libya and other North African countries, removing the need to keep the gas storage tanker in Marsaxlokk Bay.
The EU, he said, was also proposing supply arrangements with non-EU countries, with Azerbaijan being one such country, with which Malta has already reached a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in the energy sector.
TEST FOR JOSEPH MUSCAT
Earlier, Opposition leader Simon Busuttil said the EU heads of government meeting is a test for Prime Minister Joseph Muscat to persuade the EU to take concrete action about Libya.
Dr Busuttil is in Brussels for a meeting of the leaders of the European Popular Party ahead of the EU summit. Th situation in Libya was one of the subjects that was discussed.
Dr Busuttil said action over Libya needed to be taken urgently. The country needed peace and a unity government. The international community, and particularly the EU needed to contribute to the achievement of this peace, possibly through a peacekeeping force, as well as a naval force to control migration, Dr Busuttil said.