US embassy closure ‘would be shocking, questionable’, diplomats, experts say

The possible closure of the US embassy in Malta has sparked alarm among diplomats and experts, who describe the move as baffling and potentially damaging to long-standing bilateral ties.

The embassy is among 10 being considered for closure by the Trump administration, with a further 17 consulates worldwide also slated for termination.

The proposal by the White House budget office aims to halve the State Department’s budget to $30 billion by rolling back diplomatic missions across the world and drastically cutting foreign aid.

The Maltese government has so far declined to comment on the potential closure. A foreign affairs ministry spokesperson on Wednesday said that “on such matters, states engage formally through diplomatic channels, not via media statements”.

US chargé d’affaires to Malta Ken Toko downplayed the reports, saying every administration reviewed its international programmes and positions to ensure it could meet current global challenges. Suggesting the embassy could be closed was “jumping the gun”, he added.

“Our interests would be serving the American people and strengthening our relations with Malta,” Toko said.

'Closing down an embassy rare': Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley

Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley, who served as ambassador to Malta between 2012 and 2016, said that, although closing and downsizing diplomatic missions to cut costs was “almost an annual exercise”, closing down an embassy entirely was rare.

“The significant resources committed to our mission in Malta – less than 20 years ago – make its inclusion a shock and a questionable decision,” she told Times of Malta.

In 2011, the US embassy moved to sprawling new premises in Ta’ Qali covering 10 acres of land acquired from the Maltese government five years earlier for €14.6 million.

The former ambassador, who had been nominated by Democrat Barack Obama, said Malta’s strong partnership with the US was worth sustaining given both Malta’s location and the two countries’ shared interests.

“During my own tenure, the embassy hosted for a year our diplomatic colleagues who evacuated from Libya.”

Abercrombie-Winstanley said the potential closure suggested poor communication and coordination within the Trump administration.

“Secretary [of State Marco] Rubio’s position remains unknown and surely the President wouldn’t have nominated an ambassador if he didn’t also believe this is an embassy of importance,” she said.

Trump nominated former model, philanthropist and advertising executive Somers Farkas as US ambassador to Malta in December.

'If there’s a vacuum, it will be filled'

International relations experts said they were baffled by the potential closure of the embassy.

Valentina Cassar, a lecturer at the University of Malta’s international relations department, said she was disappointed by the prospect of Malta being treated as unimportant.

She noted that the US embassy facilitated exchange programmes that were fruitful to both students and lecturers, including the Fulbright Programme, which aims to improve intercultural relations.

The programme is also facing the axe as a result of the budget cuts.

“During the American election season, we also welcome lecturers who give an academic perspective on the process. It would be a great pity to lose all that,” she said.

She said the embassy in Malta was useful to the US as the country was seen as a bridge between Europe and Africa.

“Having a direct line of communication is vital to dialogue. A close bilateral relationship relies on people speaking to each other.”

Cassar questioned whether the Trump administration still regarded the Mediterranean region as being important to US interests.

“If it doesn’t, then its departure would lead to a vacuum when it comes to influence, and the EU would have to focus more on the region,” she said.

George Vital Zammit, a lecturer in economics at the University of Malta, echoed Cassar’s views.

“If there’s one thing I’ve learned from politics, it’s that if there’s a vacuum, it will be filled,” said Vital Zammit, who was himself a Fulbright scholar.

China, a major rival of the US, has been seeking to expand its presence in Malta in recent years.

In 2015, the government approved the devolution of over 19,000 square metres of land in Pembroke to build a Chinese embassy.

“The closure of an embassy is usually a last resort. Diplomacy should not be subject to cost-cutting measures,” he added.

Despite his concerns, Vital Zammit said he does not believe the US will remove its diplomatic mission to Malta entirely, citing the country’s geostrategic location and its key role in the Libyan crisis in 2011.

“If they think the embassy is too big an expense, diplomatic responsibilities for Malta could be handled by the US embassy in Rome.”

The academic said it was ironic that the prospect of downgraded relations with the US was on the cards, when just a few years ago the two countries had controversially explored the possibility of signing a Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA), which, among other things, would have given the US legal jurisdiction over American personnel based in Malta.

PN calls on government to clarify position

Meanwhile, the Nationalist Party called on the government to clarify whether the US had confirmed plans to close the embassy.

“This decision would be a big step backwards in relations between Malta and the United States, and an expression of a lack of faith in the Maltese government by the US government,” it said in a statement.

The PN highlighted that closure would mark the first time since Malta’s independence without a US diplomatic presence in the country.

The embassy, the opposition said, serves as a bridge to strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries, not just on a political level but also on trade, education and culture.