Karl Stagno-Navarra
Malta boosted its diplomatic initiatives over the Swiss-Libyan Schengen visa impasse, while also speaking out on the latest Middle East crisis following a decision by the Israeli government to build new settlements in East Jerusalem.
Foreign Minister Tonio Borg yesterday upped his diplomatic efforts to solve the ongoing Schengen visa crisis by announcing the issuance of ‘Malta-only visas’ for Libyan citizens, while also formally calling on four other EU Mediterranean countries to join it in issuing ‘Limited Territorial Validity’ (LTV) visas for as long as the visas stalemate between Schengen Area countries and Libya persists.
He extended the invitation to all other EU Schengen states to consider his proposal on the issuance of LTV visas until the Swiss-Libyan dispute is resolved.
The initiative was explained by Tonio Borg to all EU ambassadors resident in Malta during a meeting he summoned at his office in Palazzo Parisio. Borg informed the foreign diplomats on Malta’s position as well as talks he had in Tripoli with Libyan Prime Minister Mahmoud al Baghdadi.
Malta, Tonio Borg said, is proposing that the EU Mediterranean states should issue visas limited to their territories until the current dispute is settled. This proposal was also made in writing to the foreign ministers of Spain, France, Italy and Portugal who sit on the 5+5 council.
In his letter, the Maltese foreign minister stressed that the current situation was leading to the creation of a serious rift in relations between the EU and Libya which could potentially undermine the process of negotiations for an EU-Libya Framework Agreement.
Tonio Borg stressed that it was in the EU’s interest to continue to strengthen relations with Libya, particularly to safeguard progress achieved so far in areas such as the fight against illegal immigration and trade arrangements.
The foreign minister said that his talks in Tripoli showed that Libya would consider the issuing of such limited Schengen visas as a satisfactory solution.
Meanwhile, in another statement, Tonio Borg insisted that Israel must “freeze” its decision to build 1,600 new homes in East Jerusalem.
Tonio Borg expressed concern over the Israeli announcement and said: “I am deeply concerned about the Israeli Government’s decision. The announcement that new homes are to be constructed sends the wrong signal at the wrong time.
“Our stance on the settlement question is as clear as that of the EU and the entire international community. It is set forth in the road map and provides for a freeze on settlement activities.
“We hope that the planned indirect peace talks between the parties will commence as soon as possible and support all steps in this direction,” Tonio Borg said.
The Israeli government’s decision has been criticised by the United States and the European Union.
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