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Government proposes MPs' grilling of Richard Cachia Caruana in committee
Government whip says Permanent Representative should face questions in parliament, in reply to Labour motion for resignation.
25 April 2012, 12:00am
Matthew Vella
Matthew Vella
2 min read
Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi is called upon by a motion tabled by the Opposition to ask for Richard Cachia Caruana's resignation.
Government whip David Agius said the government has proposed to the Opposition that Malta's permanent representative to the EU Richard Cachia Caruana be invited to a meeting of the Foreign Affairs Committee to answer any questions by the Opposition.
Agius said on TVAM breakfast show that it would be unfair to debate the motion tabled by Labour that calls for Cachia Caruana's resigation, on a person that could not answer to any questions.
The government has denied that there was any proposal in 2004 for Malta to become a member of Nato's Partnership for Peace, accusing the Opposition - which filed a motion calling for the resignation of Richard Cachia Caruana - of misunderstanding contents of US embassy cables concerning Malta leaked on Wikileaks.
The Labour Party tabled a motion of censure calling for the resignation of Malta's permanent representative to the European Union, Richard Cachia Caruana, for his 'behind-the-scenes' role in bringing Malta into Nato's Partnership for Peace in 2008 and bypassing the parliamentary procedure for this decision.
Richard Cachia Caruana was instrumental in bringing Malta into the stream of Nato's Partnership for Peace by overturning Labour's "unconditional withdrawal" in 1996. [FULL STORY in MaltaToday - 5 September, 2011]
As revealed in the US embassy cables, Cachia Caruana proposed a "procedural bandaid" by which Malta would argue that it had not withdrawn from the PfP, but "simply ceased active participation" making it possible to say that the prior PfP agreement 'remained in force'.
This was in direct contrast to the "unconditional withdrawal" of the Labour government in 1996. As shadow foreign minister George Vella told ambassador Douglas Kmiec in November 2009, Labour had executed a "complete unconditional withdrawal" from PfP, having himself approved the letter to NATO.
Cachia Caruana actively lobbied the US for support as early as 2004, because Turkey was blocking both Malta and Cyprus from joining the Nato-EU fora: specifically as retaliation for the isolation of Turkish Cypriots after the rejection of the Annan plan for reunification by Greek Cypriots.
Matthew Vella, a freelance journalist at MaltaToday, was formerly executive editor at Malt...
Priscilla Darmenia •
Another Machiavellian move by our Prime Minister (or RCC himself) to avoid a sure vote of Franco Debono and perhaps others voting with the opposition. –
From what I gather reading the news papers, there are several PN MPs who would like to see the back side of RCC once and for all. –
This is what is frightening Dr Gonzi to discuss the motion in parliament and like the coward he is, he wants to make the hearing in a committee where he knows that he has a sure majority and a sure win. –
Tell me (us) Dr Gonzi, how long do you think you can continue to fool us? –
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Issa il-kardinal irid jigi fil-parlament ghax inqabad 'in flagrante' igerfex wahdu ma ambaxxaturi barranin minn wara il-poplu Malti?
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U MIN TAHSBU MIN HU IL KAP TAL MAZUNI HAWN MALTA?
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Who does the master clown of maltese politics wants to fool by going to the Foreign Affairs Committee were he is sure to have a majority and Franco is out of harms way. NO, it should be in parliament Mr prime minister No3.
Anette B Cassar •
This is a farce. I presume Govt. has majority in the committee. These were silent about this for years so what will we expect from them in the committee?
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No Gonzi, he's a TRAITOR who betrayed Malta like the rest of your administration. You all remind me of the Maltese saying, "Min jichad l-art twelidu mizbla zibel lanqas tridu". The PL is making a great mistake in accepting the PfP when all this happened behind the back and illegally and shows how the USA and NATO showed great contempt for us and our Constitution and deserve our contempt.
