Malta to host first regional Med. Conference later this year

Maltese Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Tonio Borg announced this at the margin of the joint EU-Gulf Cooperation Council meeting in Luxembourg.

A Ministry statement explained how this was the first conference of this kind, with its main aim being that of creating the necessary inter-cultural dialogue which would lead to joint actions against common prejudices.

Malta took on such an initiative “owing to the fact that three fourths of the major world conflicts have the cultural dimension as a cause”, the Foreign Affairs’ Ministry statement added.

This initiative followed the recently-inaugurated European Commission-League of Arab States Liaison Office in Malta as part of the Union for the Mediterranean.

The Foreign Affairs’ Council also prepared for this week’s EU leaders’ Summit in Brussels at the end of the week and the EU`s response to the recently adopted United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolution 1929 imposing sanctions on Iran for pursuing with its nuclear programme.

EU foreign ministers discussed in particular, ways of enhancing the EU`s efforts aimed at “restoring the international confidence on Iran`s nuclear programme”.

At the same time, Ministers stressed the importance of “engaging Iran in the diplomatic process and of resuming negotiations on its nuclear programme”.

In this respect, Borg called for measures “that do not target or affect the general population”.

The Foreign Affairs Council also discussed at some length the recent events following the Israeli military operation on the flotilla sailing to Gaza, which left eight people dead and numerous injured.

In the presence of the Quartet High Representative Tony Blair, EU Foreign Ministers discussed “the need to lift the Gaza blockade and EU efforts in this regard with the involvement of the players in the region”, the Maltese Foreign Affairs Ministry explained.

In this respect, EU Foreign Ministers called for a “credible and impartial investigation, including international participation”.

In his intervention on the matter, Borg insisted on the “overriding importance” of addressing the humanitarian and economic situation of the Gaza Strip.