Requiem for Malta`s neutrality

The historic deal clinched by NATO and Russia a few days ago in Iceland should serve to enlighten the Malta Labour Party to put in motion a major overhaul of its foreign policy that, after all, has a direct bearing on the island`s political and economic prospects.

The Reykjavik agreement, which is to be formalised into a fully fledged accord in Rome with the official seal of US President George W. Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin on May 28, establishes a NATO-Russia Joint Council to set policy on a number of issues.

These issues carry substantial political and security implications that are highly relevant to Malta, even if we are not a member of the Western alliance that for decades Dom Mintoff and his fellow travellers branded as a "band of brigands".

Although Mr Mintoff has been out of the public scene for four years, many Labour Party policies are still moulded by his thinking. Malta is still burdened by his decisions, such as the neutrality provisions in the Constitution. These provisions are obstinately held sacred by the MLP and its parrot organisation, the Campaign for National Independence (CNI).

In Iceland, NATO and Russia agreed to set up a joint council that aims to effectively deal with the new threats that emerged after the end of the Cold War and that manifested themselves in an Armageddon manner through the September 11 attack on New York.

The new dangers include international terrorism, proliferation of arms of mass destruction and the matter of time emergence of rogue nations. The agreement goes beyond that.

It also aims at joint pro-action in pursuit of opportunities that may be pursued to prevent or halt regional conflicts. The deal is crucial to make the globe a safer place and provides another mechanism to boost political co-operation.

Although not implicit in the agreement, it goes without saying that such a mechanism will directly and indirectly improve the climate for economic well-being that always depends on heightened stability.

Although one cannot trace a direct link, it is pertinent to observe that the agreement in Iceland came eight days after the US Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security, John Bolton, was quoted by the BBC as stating that Libya is among the countries that should be scrutinised as a potential member of the `axis of evil`. Bolton said this while making a public address at the Heritage Foundation.

The Bolton remarks are not that new. Way back in 1997 when the Institute of Strategic Studies (1996/97 Military Balance, page 172) reported that Libya was among the list of countries waiting for delivery systems from North Korea capable of carrying weapons of mass destruction.

With Russia and NATO becoming partners on issues that are crucial to world security, the MLP has a tough job to justify its insistence on depicting neutrality as the sacred cow of Malta`s foreign policy. To remain obstinate on this score is now totally out of synch with present-day realities. The sometimes veiled and often direct hostility to visiting warships are a symptom that residues of a murky neutral record continue to guide the mind and palpitate the heart of the MLP.

For decades the MLP had put the US and the now defunct Soviet Union on the same plane, while in practice it pursued blatantly pro-Soviet policies. In principle the MLP advocated its neutral policy as a formula to be equidistant from both. In practice it was a different story.

Mintoff`s Government signed a secret military agreement with Communist North Korea. Western Europe was "Cain" while Soviet-occupied Eastern Europe was "Abel". The hobnobbing with the likes of Nicolae Ceausescu of Romania and Todor Zhivkov of Bulgaria reduced neutrality to a farce. His successor, Dr Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici, who now leads the CNI, had declared that the "sun rises in the East" and that the European Union would contaminate Malta with AIDS.

The present MLP spokesman on agriculture, Noel Farrugia, had until 1987 added to his CV that he had a diploma in Juche Studies, that is the totalitarian ideology of Kim Il Sung. The latter`s son and present North Korean leader, Kim Jong Il, was provided with education at the University of Malta. His country continues to face widespread hunger while enormous sums of money continue to be spent on developing the No-Dong 1,000 km range missile; the 1,500 km range Taepo-dong One missile and the 4,000 km Taepo Dong Two system.

Malta`s murky neutrality has served this island nation no good. History has repeatedly shown that the concept is tenuous when it comes to the test. The most recent example was the church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. The Christian communities taking care of the church adhered to the concept of neutrality. Only six weeks ago this neutral sanctuary was occupied and became the centre of a dangerous stand-off in the Middle East crisis. Its neutrality and sanctity was not respected by either the Israelis or the Palestinians.

Considering the ingredients of what led to the Maltese constitutional provisions on neutrality in the light of the NATO-Russia agreement, one cannot avoid the logical conclusion that Malta`s neutrality is dead. Clinging on to neutrality is to sink deeper into the abyss of anachronism that can only lead to isolation and insignificance. Malta`s outdated neutrality is like an albatross that hinders room for manoeuvre, while not contributing one iota to our security in a dangerous world that can be blown to smithereens by madmen or desperadoes at any time.