News 01/09/2002

Malta hopes for peaceful outcome in Iraq case

Falling quite a few steps short of criticising the US government, an official at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs told Maltatoday that the government was monitoring the UN – Iraq impasse very closely. "Iraq’s non admittance of UN weapons inspectors is extremely worrying: we certainly hope that a peaceful resolution to the situation may be found and that compliance with the various relevant UN resolutions can be obtained through peaceful means," the official said, speaking on the behalf of Minister Dr Joe Borg, who was not available to explain Malta’s latest position on the issue.

With the possibility of another strike against Iraq looming on the horizon, Prime Minister Eddie Fenech Adami, speaking from Australia, had said Malta would be against an attack on Iraq. However recently things took on a more sinister turn when top US officials, including Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, reiterated that the United States did not consider international "unanimity" a prerequisite for action against Iraq.

While all the world is focussed on this burning issue, the Maltese Ministry of foreign affairs chooses to prevaricate with platitudes and cautious words that don’t really mean much when they are boiled down.

Dr George Vella, Labour spokesman for foreign affairs has criticised the government for waiting until the EU comes up with its official position before declaring its own, probably to ensure that whatever Malta announces will fall within the broad parameters of EU. Malta has a vested interest in the issue and needs to take a stand and be counted. Keeping a cautious silence, or making faint, bleating sounds will not further our interests. We need to stand up to be counted and make it clear that another war against Iraq will be very detrimental to Malta.