Busuttil says Muscat failed persuasion test on Libya

Opposition leader Simon Busuttil said yesterday that it was “not true at all” that the European Union had agreed on a “concrete commitment of direct action in Libya” as stated by Prime Minister Joseph Muscat on Friday.

The prime minister made his comment in Brussels where he attended the EU heads of government meeting, which discussed Libya, among other issues.

Muscat had said that Malta was satisfied with this “positive development” in the form of a “concrete commitment”, the first of its kind, to intervene with direct action in Libya.

EU leaders gave the United Nations the go-ahead to implement measures to increase security in the troubled country, Muscat said.

But Busuttil enclosed the formal conclusions of the summit, claiming that Muscat had not achieved what he termed was “concrete” commitments on Libya.

The conclusions state that as soon as agreement to form a Libyan government of national unity is found, “the EU stands ready with countries in the region and international partners, to contribute to its implementation by making full use of all its instruments.”

The Council said that the EU’s high representative, Federica Mogherini, will be presenting proposals to the heads of government and that the EU “will step up its engagement on counter-terrorism in the region with relevant partners.”

Elsewhere in the conclusions, the Council reaffirmed its commitment to ongoing UN efforts and its support for UNSMIL and the unity process.

On Thursday, Busuttil said the EU summit meeting was a test for Dr Muscat to persuade the EU to take concrete action about Libya. “I expect the Prime Minister to persuade Member States that the situation in Libya cannot prolong any longer,” he said.

Busuttil said Libya required a government of national unity for peace to be restored. “The international community and the EU must do its part to help Libya find peace and security,” he said, adding that, if necessary the EU should send a peacekeeping mission while increasing its naval presence in the Mediterranean.

The two-day summit came to an end on Friday afternoon, with the second part of the meeting focusing on Libya.

Speaking to journalists in Brussels, Joseph Muscat said that the discussion had been pushed by Malta and Italy, with an outcome for an EU commitment to provide support, even on the plan of security, a future national unity government.

“So now it is not just Italy on its own ready to take steps in Libya but the European Union as a group of nations. The intervention will however not be a military one,” Muscat said.