Malta's EU Council presidency will be an opportunity to attract investment and position the Mediterranean as a “sea of opportunity” amidst fears over security and migration, according to the EU foreign affairs chief.
High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini is currently on a brief official visit to Malta on the latest stop of a tour around the Mediterranean region.
During a joint press conference with foreign minister George Vella, she spoke of the need to use the six-month Maltese presidency, which kicks off in January, to encourage investors to “rediscover” the Mediterranean and foster growth in North African and Southern European countries.
Ms Mogherini highlighted the work that had been done by the EU in the wake of the Valletta Summit last year, including the dismantling of human smuggling networks and measures aimed at tackling migration in countries of origin.
The EU is currently engaged in relationships with five ‘priority’ countries – Niger, Nigeria, Mali, Senegal and Ethiopia – aimed at providing incentives and opportunities to dissuade migration and encourage voluntary returns of failed asylum seekers.
“We can say we are seeing the first concrete results of the Valletta Summit; the level of international attention towards such partnerships has never been so intense,” Ms Mogherini said, adding that the Maltese presidency would also lay the groundwork for a second EU-Africa Summit in 2017.
Dr Vella praised productive talks with Ms Mogherini ahead of the presidency, and said that while cognizant of its limitations, the country would work to give a “Mediterranean” slant to EU dialogue.
“The presidency is an opportunity to draw attention to the problems of the region – security, climate change and migration – but also highlight opportunities such as energy policy and the union’s relationship with countries like Russia and Turkey,” he said.
‘Malta did not have instructions to refuse Russian warship’
Responding to questions over the government’s refusal to allow a Russian warship to refuel in Malta en route to Syria, Dr Vella said the decision had been made on the government’s own initiative for humanitarian reasons.
“Malta will not aid any country participating in the atrocities being perpetrated in Syria,” he said. “This does not rule out the future refuelling of Russian vessels – not warships – in Malta depending on the circumstances at the time.”
The government originally gave diplomatic clearance for the RFS Dubna to enter Malta between 4 and 6 November, but later withdrew the permission. Media reports suggested the about-turn was prompted by pressure from Britain and the US.
Ms Mogherini also categorically denied that Brussels had been in any way involved in the decision.