The Prime Minister said this evening that there was growing momentum in talks on immigration in the EU summit, currently underway in Brussels. But some countries did not want anything to do with the proposals made.
He said Malta was engaged in difficult talks which had a tough start, with the draft final declaration only featuring a one-line expression of regret over the recent migrant deaths.
Following joint action between Malta, Italy and Greece, the appeal for the EU to exercise solidarity in practice gathered momentum and was now being backed by nine countries.
Dr Muscat said Malta, Italy and Greece are calling on Frontex to organise repatriation flights for migrants who were not granted asylum, responsibility sharing among all the countries of the EU, and joint action to stop people from starting their journey across the Mediterranean.
On these points, Dr Muscat said, he was so far only hearing words and some countries did not want anything to do with them, something which was unacceptable for Malta.
He said the southern Mediterranean states did not want the issue to be postponed to June next year, as some had suggested.
Should there be no significant progress, the principle of solidarity within the EU would henceforth be taken with a pinch of salt, Dr Muscat said.
CNN FEATURE
Meanwhile, CNN this evening carried a feature about Malta's argument on the immigration issue and its calls for real solidarity and effective action by the European Union.
The feature included an interview with Dr Muscat.
The prime minister was also asked about reports of US monitoring of the phone calls of EU leaders. He said all EU countries wanted better relations with the US, 'but friends do not snoop on each other.'