Malta will not attend Thursday's Board of Peace, Prime Minister says

Malta will not be taking part in the first formal meeting of the Board of Peace in Washington on Thursday, Prime Minister Robert Abela confirmed on Wednesday. 

The board, of which Trump is the chairman, was initially designed to oversee the Gaza truce and the territory’s reconstruction after the war between Hamas and Israel.

But its purpose has since morphed into resolving all sorts of international conflicts, triggering fears the US president wants to create a rival to the United Nations.

The first meeting is scheduled to take place on Thursday in Washington.

Abela previously said that Malta was weighing an informal invitation to join the board. The statement prompted backlash, including from within Labour circles.

Foreign Affairs permanent secretary Christopher Cutajar last week told a parliamentary committee that Malta should not join.

Asked whether there had been a final decision, Abela said the government was still evaluating the situation, while waiting to see what would happen at Thursday's meeting. 

"We will then take the necessary decisions, particularly when it comes to Gaza and ensuring lasting peace in the region," he said.

Earlier this week, the European Commission announced it would send Commissioner for the Mediterranean Dubravka Šuica to the meeting as an observer, while stressing she would only participate in the part of the meeting dedicated to Gaza. 

Earlier on Wednesday, Italy's foreign minister, Antonio Tajani, said he would be present at Thursday's meeting as an "observer".

The Prime Minister described the EU's decision to send Šuica as "an interesting development", adding that no Maltese representatives would be present. 

Meanwhile, the Commission's decision to send a representative has sparked backlash from some countries, who argue it could be interpreted as an endorsement of the Board.