As Russia and US join hands, Karmenu embraces neutrality

By Kurt Sansone

Former Prime Minister and Campaign for National Independence leader Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici remained adamant about the importance of Malta’s neutrality despite the historic agreement reached earlier this week between the United States and Russia, which saw the former communist foe become a junior partner of NATO.

He insisted, when asked by this newspaper to comment on the relevance of the neutrality clause in the Constitution, that Malta’s neutrality is a force bigger than the combined strength of the United States and Russia.

The neutrality clause in the Constitution was drafted in 1987 and makes specific reference to non alignment with the two super power blocks, which at the time were the United States and the Soviet Union.

On Thursday Prime Minister Eddie Fenech Adami, echoing the controversy that erupted over the repair works on the US Navy ship La Salle last year rekindled the debate by questioning the relevance of the Constitution.

While stressing that the government was not against the country’s neutrality, the Prime Minister added, "government does not want the country to be irrelevant by having a constitution that refers to neutrality in the context of two super powers, which is non-existent today."

However, on a different wavelength Dr Mifsud Bonnici believes that if Malta were to align itself with NATO and Russia it would face the same security risks that threaten the two blocks.

"Neutrality is our best security shield because if we are nobody’s enemy, nobody will be against us. If NATO and Russia feel that their security is threatened, it transpires that a veritable security threat exists. If we join NATO and Russia, Malta will be subject to the same threat. Just because we are neutral we do not feel the fear that NATO and Russia feel," Dr Mifsud Bonnici explained.

The former Labour Party leader highlighted the widespread security measures that Italy had to take during the summit to avert any possible terrorist attack. "The Maltese people do not need these dangers," he cautioned.

Dr Mifsud Bonnici also warned, "It would be a betrayal of the peace and security of the Maltese people if we pass this nation through the threat of war by selling our neutrality for any political or financial gain."

According to Dr Mifsud Bonnici the country’s neutral status burdens the country with the responsibility to work for peace and justice among nations. "This status does not permit us to be used as a military base and it prevents us from falling into the vice of forming part of a military alliance," Dr Mifsud Bonnici remarked.