PN media out of sync with foreign minister's praise of bipartisan consensus - George Vella

Shadow foreign minister George Vella has dubbed Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi's speech last Sunday as "unacceptable", after Gonzi implored Labour leader Joseph Muscat not to "tarnish Malta's reputation" during a political delegation he led in a meeting with Libya's NTC chairman Mustafa Abdul Jalil.

"While foreign minister Tonio Borg lauded the bipartisan consensus on foreign affairs today, the PN media portrayed Muscat's visit to Libya under a dark cloud," Vella said.

Vella said Labour had supported Malta's position during the Libyan conflict all throughout, but said the government was still insisting on taking credit for the island's role during the conflict.

"It doesn't make sense for Borg to praise this consensus when the PN attacks Labour over past governmental relations with Libya."

Vella said Muscat, who led the delegation of MPs last week, was the only Opposition party leader to be invited by the NTC.

"What's wrong with Labour planting a foothold in Libya? In the eventuality of its election, we would provide a sense of continuity," Vella said.

Vella also hit back at the foreign ministry's decision not to publicise a farewell call by North Korean ambassador Han Tae Song, questioning the reason behind the 'secretiveness' of the meeting.

Vella was reacting to Nationalist party and media statements that took Labour leader Joseph Muscat to task after a press statement by the communist dictatorship's press agency KCNA claimed Muscat had augured for stronger relations between Malta and North Korea.

"I don't know why this meeting was not listed in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' rundown of the past four years presented this morning.

"While the President of the Republic's public statement clarifying the KCNA comments was accepted, Muscat's wasn't," Vella said, commenting on a statement by the President that corrected the mistaken impression given by the doctored KCNA statements.

"Labour's stand is clear: we are against nuclear testing, rocket launching and the suppressive regime which rules the country. Can anyone in his right frame of mind congratulate them on the failed rocket launch? Who are we going to believe... the KCNA or Muscat?"

According to KCNA press statement, Muscat was paraphrased saying the Koreans will greet the centenary of Kim Il Sung's birth "with shining achievements in economic construction under the wise leadership of the dear respected Kim Jong Un", and that the regime's ambition to launch a satellite was "a legitimate right of sovereign states".

Commenting on other recent developments, Vella paid little attention to the opposition mounted by Nationalist MP Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando against Turkish EU membership.

"Every MP has a right to their opinion, and it's useless asking what I make of his comments... the issue is still development and will keep on developing for several years.

"We have to look at the advantages of Turkish membership. If there are investment opportunities, let's not scare this away. Turkey is up and coming, and we should respect the chance the EU gave the country to submit its candidature.

"Turkey must now undergo scrutiny... if the EC sees that the requirements have been satisfied, then we will discuss in it the House, but it won't happen for the next fifteen or twenty years," Vella said.