Failure to face current problems in Libya would be a defeat “for the dignity of European and international institutions” and pose an “objective threat” to security, Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi warned yesterday.
The creation of a national unity government in Libya would help to address irregular migration and security along the EU’s southern Mediterranean borders “at the root”, he said.
The Italian leader was speaking during a joint news conference with Prime Minister Joseph Muscat while here on a lightning visit to inaugurate the interconnector linking Malta to the Italian electricity grid.
Mr Renzi landed in Malta at about 6pm, held official talks with the Prime Minister at Auberge de Castille and later also took part in the final event of Labour’s local council elections campaign in Paola before heading back to Italy.
Considering the Mediterranean as not being at the heart of Europe is a mistake
In their remarks both leaders stressed that the Mediterranean context was “fundamental” in the drafting of EU polices, with Mr Renzi describing this region as the “heart and soul” of the entire continent.
“Continuing to consider the Mediterranean as not being at the heart of Europe is a mistake which some countries are risking to commit,” he warned.
He noted that last year the upsurge of violence in Libya resulted in a record 160,000 migrant arrivals in Italy, after a period of relative stability during which irregular migration has declined significantly.
While welcoming the conclusions of last month’s EU summit that signalled greater efforts towards finding a diplomatic solution in Libya, Mr Renzi said the next step was to reflect this sentiment through political priorities.
As a politician he felt compelled to do his utmost not to allow more barbaric treatment of innocent people at the hands of extremist groups.
Mr Renzi also expressed his eagerness to have closer collaboration between the two countries to promote Europe’s identity and values across the world and give “new hope for the future” for upcoming generations.
Dr Muscat described the current situation in Libya, fuelled by two hostile rival governments, as “intolerable”. The situation would degenerate in a matter of months unless concrete action was taken, he warned.
Asked about an Italian proposal for the setting up of reception centres in North Africa to process migrants’ requests for asylum in a bid to avoid further tragedies at sea, Dr Muscat said that at the moment the priority was to make Libya safe.
“The focus of our discussion was to see how we can entice the international community to take more action,” Dr Muscat said.
On the other hand, there was a ray of hope for the creation of a partial unity government in Libya, he added. This should then be followed up by a UN resolution which would pave the way for closer ties and more support being given by Europe to this North African state.
During the news conference both leaders hailed the interconnector as a vivid example of how countries could work together to address energy security.
Dr Muscat said the next challenge would be an underwater gas pipeline linking Malta to Gela in Sicily which would bolster Malta’s energy supply. Such a project would be of huge importance in view of plans to convert electricity generation from heavy fuel oil to this cleaner form of fuel.
He also said the two sides had discussed the possibility of joint oil exploration but no further details were divulged.