The summit meeting of the Western Mediterranean Forum (the 5+5) ended early this afternoon with the approval of a final declaration (the Malta declaration) that made a strong call for transition in Syria.

Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said the level of dialogue at the forum was such as to make everybody comfortable to make proposals and ideas for the way forward.

This was the first summit meeting of the forum in nine years and, Dr Gonzi said  the meeting was held in a  changed scenario, as a time when, in a few months, the realities of the Mediterranean had changed tremendously. Democracy and the aspirations of the people were making progress, he said, despite the challenges and hurdles which still existed.

He said that the presence, among others, of EU Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso helped in the discussion of how the countries of the Maghreb and the European Union could move forward together. 

He said the major points of the Malta Declaration was a common commitment to the democratic development of the region. "We are heads of government, but we represent people, and the human dimension, the human reality was always present in our discussions," Dr Gonzi said.

He said the heads of government had called for greater regional integration.

Dr Gonzi said the 5+5 was an institution which promoted dialogue and it was important that this process continued in issues of security, migration, social and economic development.

He said the summit had placed a lot of importance on youth and their education and training.

Dr Gonzi said migration was important for all participants. All agreed that this was, first and foremost, a human challenge and it was their collective responsibility to address this humanitarian challenge because countless lives were being lost in the desert and the sea. Ideas included the setting up of task forces to tackle specific issues of this problem and he hoped those ideas would be built on, along with the  issues of security and illegal trafficking.

The heads of government also discussed support for businesses, particularly SMEs.

On Syria, the declaration says the current situation can no longer be tolerated and it condemns the current loss of life, Dr Gonzi said.

There was also a fresh call for progress in the Palestinian issue based on a two state solution.

Dr Gonzi said Malta was proud to have hosted the forum's meetings and to have served as a channel of dialogue between peoples and cultures.

Tunisian President Tunisian President Moncef Marzouki said he had suggested the creation of a task force whose purpose would not be military but focused solely on rescuing migrants. The task force, he said, should be composed of military and civilian assets. Further technical meetings will be held, possibly in Tunis.

The concluding press conference was attended by the Arab heads of state and government who had attended the forum, although the European leaders left last night or at the end of this morning's session.