New US Ambassador Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley is the first non-politically appointed American envoy to Malta since 1989. She speaks to Anthony Manduca about her role.

An expert in counter-terrorism and the Middle East with a long and distinguished service at the State Department, Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley believes her experience as a career diplomat will help in her new role as Ambassador to Malta.

The US would like to capitalise on Malta’s position as a gateway between Europe and North Africa to expand US business interests to Libya

“The experience of serving in the Middle East will be very helpful for our partnership with Malta as we work to assist countries in the region, North Africa in particular, to move forward towards democratic and economic reforms,” she tells The Sunday Times shortly after presenting her credentials to President George Abela.

But as a non-political appointee she does not have direct access to the US President. Does she think this a drawback?

“I don’t think so. Anyone who serves as ambassador serves at the pleasure of the President and is the President’s representative. Clearly the President thought I had the ­necessary skills to represent the United States very well.

“The Secretary of State certainly does, I know, and these skills will stand me in excellent stead in Malta.”

She says the US would like to capitalise on Malta’s position as a gateway between Europe and North Africa to expand US business interests to Libya and other countries, while making sure Maltese businessmen have access to US markets.

The ambassador calls Malta “a vibrant thriving democracy” and a wonderful example for countries in NorthAfrica, as they look to change their own governments.

She says the US is “deeply grateful” for Malta’s cooperation with the international community during the Libya crisisand recognises Malta helped out “with open hearts”.

“Our gratitude for this is deep,” she adds.

During Ms Abercrombie-Winstanley’s Senate confirmation hearings in the US, she was asked questions about Malta being a gateway for human trafficking and about IRISIL (Iranian shipping line) vessels flying the Malta flag.

Will she take up these issues with the Maltese government?

“I think the Maltese government has already taken some very important steps, such as the effort to fully enforce EU sanctions with regard to Iran. I understand the Maltese government is taking a very hard look at the ships that are now flagged for IRISIL. This is an important step,” she says.

The ambassador stresses victims of human trafficking need protection, the ability to escape such circumstances and laws to be in place to protect them. Malta has had its first successful prosecution of a trafficker, which the ambassador deems important.

Ambassador Abercrombie-Winstanley cites the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) with Malta – which among other things regulates the criminal jurisdiction over foreign military personnel in a host country – as a priority for the US.

“We think such an agreement will be of value for both Malta and the US. A SOFA agreement covers a wide variety of issues such as ship visits, licensing and how soldiers are treated here, but it also allows Malta to have greater access to the USmilitary and to allow port calls by USships, which would indeed bring additional business to Malta.”

She adds: “There are things webelieve will prove useful for both sides and this is something we should have aconversation about.

“Certainly we are very gratified that the Labour Party has said that this (SOFA) does not go against the Maltese Constitution. It’s a decision the Maltese government will have to take and it’s something we’llwork on.”

Regarding the Labour Party’s parliamentary motion calling on Malta’s Permanent Representative to the EU to resign over the way Malta rejoined the Partnership for Peace programme – as highlighted by US diplomatic cables from Brussels leaked by Wikileaks – Ms Abercrombie-Winstanley says: “We don’t comment on the contents of those cables.

“It’s important that people in all countries understand our cables are commentaries that are very frank, informal and they don’t constitute US policy.

“It’s part of the deliberative process and we don’tcomment on the contents specifically.”

However, she says the US feels Malta’s membership of the Partnership for Peace is very important as it allows the island to share its expertise and access information.

The ambassador is impressed by Malta’s history and believes there is potential for tourism from the US.

“Once I was nominated as Ambassador to Malta I started reading about Maltese history, and wow! I see an opportunityfor additional tourism by Americans. Historical-oriented tourism will be awonderful way for Americans to get to know the country and spend time here,” she says.

Asked to define Barack Obama’s foreign policy and how she thinks the world views America today, she ggives adiplomatic response:

“I would much prefer the President defines his foreign policy but certainly offthe top of my head I would say workingvery hard to ensure that we exchangeinformation, views and expertise, in a respectful fashion.

“I think that has been very important to the President and certainly for all of us who represent him around the world. I believe that in general the US has worked hard and I think we do a pretty good job communicating our foreign policy priorities in a respectful fashion.”

The ambassador’s predecessor in Malta, Douglas Kmiec, resigned after a State Department report said he spent too much time in Malta talking and writing about his religious beliefs. Will she now shy away from talking about religion or inter-faith dialogue?

She laughs: “Well, we all serve at the pleasure of the President. I have laid out what my priorities will be. I obviously will be listening and interacting with Maltese as well as my staff here, who are very well experienced.

“My focus is going to be on democracy, political reform, working with Malta for North Africa, economic development and trafficking in persons.”

Ms Abercrombie-Winstanley already has some connections to the country. Her father-in-law served in the Navy in Malta during the Second World War and her niece studied nursing at St Luke’s Hospital.

“My niece is an intensive care unit nurse and said her training here was absolutely top notch. She’s very successful in her profession and credits it to her training in Malta,”she says.

The Ambassador, who presented her ­credentials in Maltese, has been taking Maltese lessons, which she says are going very well.

“I intend to continue them, it’s a ­beautiful language, I love the sound of it, so I hope to speak it very well soon,” she says with some pride.