From friend to foe: Mintoff considered ‘complete break’ with Libya in 1980

The few records of Cabinet meetings dating back to Dom Mintoff's second administration throw a light on the scale of the fall out with Muammar Gaddafi's Libya following the dispute on oil exploration near the disputed median line.

Scanned records of these Cabinet meetings were made available to the general public today at the National Archives, a historic decision that sees all minutes and memoranda penned during Cabinet meetings between 1962 and 1981 open to research.

Cabinet minutes from the 1970s, which cover two Mintoff administrations, have not been found, save for notes.

From these records it emerges that the Cabinet was actively considering a "complete break" with Libya. In a clear indication that Libya was demanding a military base in Malta, the Cabinet repeatedly excluded this possibility. 

According to minutes dating 27 May 1980, the Cabinet agreed that the government could not continue waiting for an agreement on the median line between the two countries and resolved that the government should start drilling for oil in the Maltese area.

The meeting also resolved that "Libya will never be granted the facility of a base in Malta."

The Cabinet was informed on the failure of negotiations with Libya on the provision of refined oil after June 1980, and about an agreement with the Saudi Arabian government on the provision of crude oil.

A 3% commission was to be paid to third parties.

On 11 July 1980, the Cabinet was informed about meetings with Libyan Minister Shahati in which he was informed that Malta was going to drill for oil in its blocks. 

Shahati was also told "that Malta would never be ready to offer military facilities to anyone including Libya."

The Cabinet also resolved that that Prime Minister Dom Mintoff should not attend any talks in Libya before Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi comes to Malta to discuss pending issues.

This decision was taken in view of two rebuffs by Libya on requests for meeting made by Mintoff.

On 27 August 1980 the Cabinet discussed the repercussions of Libya's show of force during the previous week when an Italian subcontractor was stopped from drilling by the Libyans.

The government was informed that on 20 August 1980, oil drigging firm Texaco had informed the Maltese government that a submarine and a warship were encircling the oil rig on which an Italian flag was hoisted.

The captain of the rig had been threatened that Libya would attack it if operations were not stopped. This action was described in the Cabinet meetings "as an act worthy of our worst enemy": once a friend, Libya had now become "a danger to our country's freedom" and the Cabinet only "hoped" that Colonel Gaddafi had not been aware of the threat.

During the meeting the government decided to expel all uniformed Libyan personnel from Malta. It was also decided that the number of Libyans enjoying diplomatic immunity in Malta should not be greater than the corresponding number of Maltese diplomats enjoying a similar status in Libya.

The Cabinet agreed to raise the issue at UN security council with the aim of stopping "Libya's provocation and threats."

The Labour ministers also agreed to consider the possibility of a "complete break" with Libya and to take steps to fill this void by seeking investment from other Arab countries. 

The Cabinet minutes referred to discussions with the Italian government on the neutrality guarantee, which could be implemented immediately without waiting for similar guarantees from other governments.

This historic meeting was only attended by five Cabinet members namely: then Prime Minister Dom Mintoff and ministers Wistin Abela, Danny Cremona, Philip Muscat and Joe Brincat.

Six ministers, including Lorry Sant, had been abroad.

On 15 September 1980, the Cabinet agreed to the signing of a neutrality agreement with Italy. It was also decided that a mass meeting should be held to explain the details of the agreement with Italy and relations with Libya in a meeting scheduled for 19 September, 1980 in Sliema.

The deteriorating relationship with Libya contrasted with the picture presented in a Cabinet meeting held on 21 July 1978 - only two years earlier. 

In this 1978 meeting, the Cabinet was informed that "relations with Europe were deteriorating simply because Malta was improving its relationship with Libya."

Pressure from Italian Socialist Party

An interesting detail emerging from the Cabinet meetings is the intervention of the Italian Socialist Party on behalf of an unnamed Italian company bidding for a tender for the power station boilers.

On 11 July 1980 the Cabinet was informed that Italian Socialists were making pressure to push for an Italian company in the bidding process for the power station's new boilers. Eventually it was proposed that the tender is divided between the Italians and the Japanese.

But the Italians could never match the offer made by the Japanese. 

"Despite the wish of the Italians to take part of the job, the Cabinet agreed that the Italian offer could not be accepted."

Maltese Church 'cannot be trusted'

A Cabinet meeting held on 3 February 1981 dealt with the thorny issues of Church schools and the closure of the Blue Sisters Hospital. 

"Due to the fact that there is no possibility of dialogue with the Maltese clergy, there is no other way but to send a letter to his Holiness the Pope... a letter which should be personally delivered by Malta's ambassador in the Vatican."