UN military intervention in Libya is necessary to re-establish security as time is running out for rival factions to form a national unity government, according to the Prime Minister.
Joseph Muscat yesterday told Parliament the international community was expecting “concrete signs” from Libya’s rival administrations in Tobruk and Tripoli to unite and stem the rise of Islamic extremists.
“Ideally the request to the UN should come from the Libyans but time is running out and a UN intervention is necessary because the political vacuum is allowing Islamic State militants to gain ground,” Dr Muscat said.
The UN Security Council is scheduled to meet today to discuss the situation in Libya. Egypt, France and Italy have asked for a UN mandate to intervene. Dr Muscat’s words echoed those of UN Special Representative Bernardino Leon, who earlier in the day told One TV the UN would be forced to intervene in Libya unless an agreement was reached between the different factions and militias.
Mr Leon said Libya was on the verge of collapse and although all options were on the table, an agreement with all stakeholders should be a priority.
“The time had come for the political talks being held to produce results… if this failed, the Security Council would ask the UN to fill the vacuum,” Mr Leon said.
The infighting between the internationally recognised Tobruk government and the self-declared Tripoli administration has allowed Islamic State militants to gain ground. IS captured the strategic coastal city of Sirte last week.
Dr Muscat condemned the “barbaric” killing of 21 Egyptian Coptic Christians, which provoked Egypt into bombing militant compounds in the east of Libya.
Dr Muscat told Parliament that doing nothing was not an option and insisted Malta was obliged to support any UN intervention. He said Malta could not provide military backing but pledged logistical and humanitarian support. Irregular immigration was bound to get worse if Libya remained split between two governments and an extremist faction, Dr Muscat said.
“We are hearing of thousands of people being pushed to sea by force,” he added, urging people not to equate irregular migrants with terrorists.
He reiterated the government and the Security Service had no information that Malta was a target for any attack from Libya or elsewhere. “We are doing everything possible within our means to ensure people in this country continue to live in security and with peace of mind… but one has to keep in mind that nobody can anticipate sporadic copycat attacks like the shooting in Denmark,” he said.
The Prime Minister urged vigilance but called on people to carry on with their daily lives. He said the Opposition was being kept abreast of developments in Libya.
Nationalist Party leader Simon Busuttil said the Opposition supported the government’s stand on a UN peacekeeping mission for Libya and the contribution Malta was expected to make. He urged the government to take on a leadership role within the EU and push for the bloc to take a common position at the UN.
Malta to join anti-IS coalition
Prime Minister Joseph Muscat yesterday gave the strongest commitment yet that Malta will be joining an international coalition against Islamic State.
He said the question was not whether Malta would join the US-led coalition but rather “when and on what terms”.
The government has been criticised by the Opposition for failing to join the anti-IS coalition, which includes Arab and Muslim countries. Malta is the only EU member State not to do so.
Dr Muscat explained the government had protested when “the EU bureaucracy” included the country in a list of coalition participants in September last year.
“We believe foreign policy decisions should be taken by us not by the EU bureaucracy… we have taken cognisance of the Opposition’s stand but this is not a question of whether we are in favour or against but when and on what terms,” Dr Muscat said.