German foreign minister does not commit himself on Gaddafi requests

“Well, it was a request of a head of State of an important country, and of course we will look into it. But I’m sure you understand we really hesitate to comment this in a concrete way,” Westerwelle told journalists during a joint press conference with Maltese counterpart Tonio Borg early this morning.

 “It is in our common interests and also in our common responsibility to solve this problem and the rest we will discuss in a bilateral way,” he said very cautiously.

"You see that I have answered this questions in a very calm and diplomatic way. We know that no one wants to have reactions which could make the situation more difficult,” Westerwelle warned.

Gaddafi was speaking during a ceremony that marked the second anniversary since the establishment of a pact between Italy and Libya in a military compound in the outskirts of Rome.

He spoke about illegal immigration and said that unless the EU does not finance Tripoli, millions of African migrants would turn Europe into Africa over time.

Malta will support Tripoli’s request for substantial EU funds in exchange for more control over the flow of illegal migrants leaving from Libya. “Muammar Gaddafi’s recent request is nothing new and we think that it’s totally justified,” Tonio Borg said on Wednesday, 1 September.

Borg today also said Malta will support Kosovo’s independence when the debate goes before the United Nations General Assembly.

“As you know, Malta recognised Kosovo last August and it will support the majority within the European Union on the Kosovo issue even at the next UN General Assembly,” Borg told journalists.

“I appreciated what Borg has said on the Western Balkans. The way forward is one of cooperation not one of confrontation,” Westerwelle insisted.

“It is a sine qua non from our part that the book about the territorial integrity of the states of the European Union is closed now. We will not open this discussion anymore on Kosovo,” he warned.

“We’re supported by the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice, and for thus, this question is answered,” he explained.

“So we ask all other European Union states and if you look at the UN General Assembly in New York to kindly understand that on the Western Balkans, the borders are clear and we will not discuss anymore and open this book once again,” Westerwelle said of the Kosovar struggle for independence.

“The visit by Deputy Chancellor and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Germany Guido Westerwelle to Malta is a living proof that the Federal Republic of Germany considers Malta as one of its main partners in economic and political collaboration,” Borg said.

Around 50 manufacturing German companies operate in Malta, employing around 2,240 employees.

The same applies to tourism both from and to Germany, which after suffering a dip last year, has now enjoyed a resurgence.

The discussions between the German Foreign Affairs Minister and his Maltese counterpart lasted for about an hour.

During these talks, the two sides also discussed Malta’s position in the Mediterranean, particularly the Arab World and how Malta can contribute further to this understanding with our neighbours, “particularly in the Northern African region,” Borg told journalists.

Borg also explained how the two sides also discussed cooperation within the European Union. “We enjoy a number of common positions relating to the Western Balkans, but also relating to other matters as well, especially the Middle East.”

“We are very happy that proximity talks have started. It would be difficult, of course, but we should carefully follow the statement that the Council of the European Union delivered on 8 December last year on the Middle East question – two state solution, security of Israel, and also the support of moderate Arab counties in order to reach some kind of solution,” Borg told journalists.

On his part, Westerwelle explained how the proximity talks were “a chance.

“Last night I have just a conversation with the Foreign Affairs Minister of the United States of America and I was really impressed and I really appreciated to hear that this start in Washington was very successful. We really appreciate this very successful start of these negotiations in Washington,” he revealed.

This collaboration has increased during the past five years, during which 14 German companies have set up new operations in Malta. Another 17 German companies already located in Malta have expanded their operations on the island.

As far as education and niche student exchanges are concerned, Borg said that this is a very important opportunity for Malta. “Through bilateral collaboration, a substantial number of Maltese students are benefitting from scholarships and exchange opportunities being offered, going beyond language studies and delving into sciences, a field in which Germany is a leader.”

Borg also mentioned the joint projects recently established between MCAST and Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, one of the largest and most innovative scientific group of institutes worldwide, as well as the Max-Born College located in Recklinghausen in creating joint vocational training programmes.

Borg thanked Germany for its support in dealing with the influx of refugees over the past years. 31 refugees have left Malta in search of a future in Germany and this year Germany has decided to participate in the EU-Pilot Project on Refugee Resettlement and will be resettling 100 refugees from Malta.

On part, Westerwelle confirmed that Malta and Germany had some common positions on EU level.

“It is part of my policy, and is part of German policy, not to have intensive dialogue only with the so-called big states of the European Union,” Westerwelle insisted. “We are sitting there as foreign ministers and every country and every Foreign Minister has one vote, and everybody is so important for us,” he added.

“It is so important for us to have intensive relations and extensive dialogue also with the small-called smaller countries of the Union,” the German foreign affairs Minister told journalists.

Westerwelle is the first German foreign minister who has openly declared his gay status way back in 2005, when he was being hounded by the German press.