Mur Lura
DISKORS MILL-ONOR. JOE BORG, MINISTRU TA' L-AFFARIJIET BARRANIN, WAQT IT-TMIEN LAQGHA TA' L-AMBAXXATURI DWAR L-GHANIJIET TAL-POLITIKA BARRANIJA TA' MALTA - MINISTERU TA' L-AFFARIJIET BARRANIN, IL-BELT VALLETTA
09/01/2001
Huwa l-pjacir tieghi li narakom ilkoll migbura flimkien hawn Malta ghat-Tmien Laqgha ta' l-Ambaxxaturi organizzata mill-Ministeru ta' l-Affarijiet Barranin. Din il-laqgha ilha ma ssir erba' snin. Dan gara l-aktar minhabba t-tibdiliet li sehhew f'dan il-Ministeru, sew minhabba l-bidla fil-gvern u anke minhabba l-fatt li matul dan il-perjodu, il-Ministeru kellu, inkluz jien, tlett Ministri differenti.
Nassigurakom li ser naghmel hilti kollha sabiex ma jergax jghaddi hafna zmien bejn laqgha u ohra kif gara bejn il-laqgha li qed issir illum u l-ahhar wahda li saret. Fil-fatt huwa l-hsieb tieghi li din il-laqgha mportanti ta' bejnietna ssir kull sena.
Okkazjoni bhal din isservi bhala opportunita' eccellenti ghalina biex, mhux biss niltaqghu u nharsu lejn hidmietna matul is-sena ta' qabel, izda wkoll biex inseddqu l-hidmiet differenti taghna billi naqsmu bejnietna ideat u esperjenzi. Ghalhekk laqgha bhal din isservi biex intejbu d-direzzjoni taghna u niffukaw fuq ix-xoghol li rridu naghmlu.
Fil-ftit minuti li gejjin se naghti harsa lejn l-ghanijiet tal-Politika Barranija ta' dan il-Gvern ghas-snin li gejjin.
Matul il-laqgha taghna ta' llum huwa essenzjali li jkun hawn partecipazzjoni u diskussjoni attiva, li permezz taghhom, nittama tohrog stampa iktar cara ta' x'inhi l-mira li rridu naslu ghaliha. Nemmen li huwa b'dan il-mod li mbaghad,inkunu nistghu nuzaw ahjar l-energiji taghna kif ukoll il-haddiema fl-ambaxxati taghna u dawk f'organizzazzjonijiet respettivi f'Malta.
Ix-xoghol ta' kull ambaxxata huwa parti indivizibli minn haga shiha. Hekk huma wkoll l-ghanijiet taghna, tant li l-ebda wiehed minnhom m'ghandu jitqies ghalih wahdu. Dawn l-ghanijiet jistghu jinftehmu l-ahjar jekk jitqiesu li huma biss parti minn kuntest izjed wiesgha.
Ghalkemm kull ghan jista' jkun ikkwantifikat ghalih wahdu, in-natura kumplimentari ta' l-ghanijiet taghna taghmilha bzonnjuza li jitqiesu bhala haga wahda, li jitqiesu bhala li flimkien jifformaw l-istampa kompleta tal-politika barranija attwali ta' Malta.
Dan ifisser li kull ambaxxata, sew jekk bilaterali jew multilaterali u tinstab fejn tinstab, hija essenzjali ghat-twettiq tal-politika barranija ta' Malta. Il-Miri fil-Politika Barranija taghna huma:
Li nissiehbu fl-Unjoni Ewropea ma' l-ewwel tkabbir li jmiss
Li attivament insegwu l-interessi komuni tar-regjun Mediterranju
Li niksbu l-ahjar Relazzjonijiet Bilaterali possibbli ma' pajjizi ohra
Li niehdu sehem effettiv f'fora Multilaterali
| Kull wahda minn dawn il-miri se tkun spjegata u | diskussa fid-dettall iktar tard fil-programm ta' din il-laqgha. |
| Li se naghmel issa huwa biss li naghti harsa | generali lejn il-miri tal-Gvern fil-politika barranija tieghu f'dawn is-setturi li ghadni kemm elenkajt. |
L-Unjoni Ewropea
| Il-Gvern ghamilha cara hafna illi hija l-intenzjoni | tieghu illi Malta tkun tifforma parti mit-tkabbir ta' l-Unjoni Ewropea li jmiss li ghandu ssehh fis-snin li gejjin. Ghalhekk, l-ghan immedjat tal-Gvern hu li nifthu n-negozjati fuq il-kapitli kollha li fadal u li naghlqu bizzejjed sabiex nilhqu dawk il-kandidati li jifformaw il-Grupp tal-Lussemburgu. Il-pjan tal-Gvern huwa li nlesti n-negozjati sa' Gunju 2002. |
| Dana jaqbel ma' dak li hemm fid-dokument | tal-Kummissjoni dwar l-istrategija ghat-tkabbir, li gie approvat f'Nizza. F'dawn in-negozjati Malta ser taghmel hilitha kollha sabiex tikseb dawk il-perjodi tranzizzjonali w arrangamenti specjali mehtiega halli jigi zgurat li l-pakkett finali li jkun gie negozjat ikun l-izjed vantaggjuz possibli ghal Malta. |
| L-1 ta' Jannar, 2003 hija d-data li Malta, | flimkien mal-pajjizi kandidati l-ohra, stabiliet bhala d-data sa fejn inkunu lestejna t-thejjijiet necessarji ghas-shubija. |
| Biex inhejju ruhna ghal dan kollu, jinsab ghaddej | process dinamiku bl-ghan li jitjieb il-mod kif jahdem il-Gvern u l-qasam kummercjali. Jidhlu salvagwardji godda ghall-konsumaturi u l-haddiema u jinholqu certi strutturi amministrattivi essenzjali u jinbnew il-kapacitajiet istituzzjonali. F'dan ir-rigward, is-settur pubbliku wera mhux biss li hu kapaci li jaghmel b'mod tajjeb dak kollu li kien hemm bzonn li jsir, izda li jaghmel izjed u li jaghmlu ahjar. Hemm bzonn li nahdmu bi shih sabiex ingibu kull ghajnuna li nistghu minn pajjizi membri u mill-istituzzjonijiet ta' l-Unjoni Ewropea. |
Il-Mediterran
| Hija l-intenzjoni taghna li jkollna rwol akbar | fil-Mediterran galadarba dan huwa regjun mimli opportunitajiet. Irridu nghaddu mill-kliem ghall-fatti ghall-gid tal-Mediterran li ghal zmien twil infena bi glied, terrorizmu, emigrazzjoni u livell baxx ta' zvilupp. |
| Biex inwettqu dan fi hsiebna li nkomplu bis-sehem | attiv taghna f'diversi inizjattivi regjonali li jezistu fosthom id-Djalogu 5+5 li qed jerga' jinghata l-hajja. Izda barra minn hekk fi hsiebna niehdu ahna stess, certi passi konkreti. Fost dawn il-passi rridu nahdmu halli nikkonkludu ghadd ta' ftehim ghal kummerc hieles ma' stati li jinsabu mal-kosta ta' l-Afrika ta' Fuq, fosthom l-Egittu u t-Tunezija. Qed nippjanaw ukoll li nibnu modi differenti ta' koperazzjoni partikolarment ma' dawk il-pajjizi tal-Mediterran li ghandhom rapprezentanza f'Malta. |
| Barra minn hekk, Malta hija eligibbli ghal fondi | regjonali taht il-Programm MEDA ta' l-Unjoni Ewropea li specifikament huma ntizi biex jghinu l-koperazzjoni bejn zewg pajjizi Ewropej u tnejn mill-Mediterran. Il-koperazzjoni tista' tkun f'oqsma bhat-trasport, l-energija, id-djalogu parlamentari u l-ambjent. Diga' nbeda xi xoghol f'dan ir-rigward permezz ta' konferenzi u tahrig li kienu organizzati f'Malta. |
| F'livell parlamentari Malta tixtieq issegwi | l-process tal-Konferenza ghal Sigurta' u Koperazzjoni fil-Mediterran fi hdan l-Unjoni Inter-Parlamentari u tinsab ukoll impenjata f'hidma sabiex titwaqqaf Assemblea Parlamentari ta' Stati tal-Mediterran fi hdan l-istess IPU. |
Relazzjonijiet Bilaterali
| Relazzjonijiet qawwija ma' pajjizi ewlenin | f'kull regjun huma ta' mportanza partikulari ghal Malta galadarba, minhabba ragunijiet ta' logistika u spejjez, ahna nippruvaw li jkollna ambaxxati li jkunu responsabbli ghal ghadd ta' pajjizi f'regjun partikulari. Koperazzjoni tista' tiehu diversi forom permezz tal-konkluzjoni ta' certi ftehim bilaterali bazici, barra t-tishih ta' l-iskambji fil-kamp taz-zghazagh, il-kummerc, il-kultura u oqsma ohra. Il-priorita' taghna ghas-snin li gejjin hija il-konkluzjoni ta' ftehim ghat-tnehhija ta' taxxa doppja, dwar il-garanzija ghall-investiment u dwar il-glieda kontra l-kriminalita' organizzata. Hija l-intenzjoni taghna li nkomplu nwessghu din ix-xibka ma' pajjizi ohra. |
| It-tishih ta' koperazzjoni huwa wkoll krucjali | ghaliex certi setturi jibbenefikaw minn dan - sew jekk huwa tahrig ghall-Forzi Armati, sew jekk huma boroz ta' studji ghal studenti Maltin, kif ukoll programmi ohra ta' skambji jew opportunitajiet ahjar ghall-kummerc. Bicca sewwa tal-koperazzjoni bilaterali matul din l-ahhar sena kif ukoll ghas-snin li gejjin, ser tiffoka wkoll fuq ghajnuna biex Malta tibni l-kapacitajiet taghha fil-kuntest ta' l-applikazzjoni taghha ghas-shubija fl-Unjoni Ewropea. Kif diga' ghedt qabel, hemm ippjanata wkoll koperazzjoni mas-siehba taghna fil-Mediterran. |
| L-ghadd sinifikanti ta' zjarat bilaterali, kemm | lejn, kif ukoll barra minn Malta, servew biex jissahhu r-rabtiet u biex tigi minsuga xibka aktar wiesgha ta' pajjizi hbieb. |
Xoghol Multilaterali
| Tradizzjonalment Malta, dejjem assumiet rwol | effettiv f'fora internazzjonali. Fi hsiebna li nibghu naghmlu dan ghaliex nemmnu li ghandna kontribut sinifikanti x'naghtu f'dan il-fora. |
| Dan ma jfissirx, izda, li ghandna nkunu kullimkien | f'kull hin. Ir-rizorsi, kif nafu, huma limitati. Irridu ghalhekk nezaminaw bir-reqqa meta u fejn Malta jkollha interess specifiku f'materja partikulari u mbaghad nahdmu ghaliha, b'determinazzjoni, skond ir-rizorsi li ghandna. Hija x-xewqa tieghi li s-sessjonijiet li ser jkollna llum jaghtu stampa cara ta' x'inhuma dawn l-interessi. Wiehed irid izomm f'mohhu l-konessjoni diretta li tezisti bejn pozizzjonijiet addottati f'fora multilaterali u relazzjonijiet fuq livell bilaterali. |
| L-idea li nressqu 'l quddiem, nikkontestaw u li | anki niksbu b'success rapprezentanza f'fora internazzjonali hija ta' importanza kbira. Din tista' sservi ta' mezz kif ikunu nfluwenzati decizjonijiet li jista' jkollhom xi forma ta' effett fuq Malta. |
| Din is-sena Malta ghamlet parti mill-High Level | Review Group tal-Commonwealth, hadna sehem attiv kemm fl-Organizzazzjoni ghal Sigurta' u Koperazzjoni fl-Ewropa u kif ukoll fil-Kunsill ta' l-Ewropa. Irridu nkomplu b'din il-hidma ghax b'hekk inkunu qed nikkontribwixxu fix-xoghol ta' dawn l-organizzazzjonijiet u fl-istess waqt inkunu qed nghollu l-profil ta' Malta barra l-pajjiz waqt li ngibu beneficcji konkreti u tangibbli ghal Malta f'forma ta' assistenza teknika, tahrig u appogg. |
| It-triq li ghandna quddiemna biex nilhqu dawn l-ghanijiet | fil-politika barranija ta'pajjizna se tinvolvi l-konsolidament tal-miri li semmejt qabel f'kuntest izjed wiesgha, f'kuntest fejn kull parti mit-totalita' tghin fil-progress u l-prosperita' tal-pajjiz. |
| Laqgha bhal din ta' llum ghandha sservi biex | tkabbar l-gharfien tas-sehem li kull wiehed minna ghandu fil-makkinarju tal-politika barranija u ghandha twassal ukoll biex ikun hemm armonija izjed u sinergija ahjar fost id-diversi hidmiet taghna madwar id-dinja. Nispera li din il-laqgha ticcara, ghallinqas fit-tielet jum taghha, xi policies jew regolamenti amministrattivi godda li dahlu fis-sehh matul din l-ahhar sena, oltre ohrajn li huma mahsuba li jiddahhlu fil-futur. |
| L-awgurju tieghi huwa li laqghat bhal din issibuhom | ta' siwi ghalikom u nixtieq li tmorru lura fl-ibliet kapitali fejn qed isservu, b'rieda msahha halli twettqu l-politika barranija ta' Malta b'perswazjoni u b'determinazzjoni. |
SPEECH BY THE HON. JOE BORG, MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, AT THE EIGHTH AMBASSADORS' MEETING ON MALTA'S FOREIGN POLICY OBJECTIVES - MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, VALLETTA
It gives me great pleasure to see you assembled here in Malta for the Eighth Ambassadorsc Meeting organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This meeting has not taken place for four years. This was due to the changes this Ministry has undergone both as a result of a change in government and also because of the fact that during this period, the Ministry had three different Ministers, including myself.
I assure you that I will be doing my best to ensure that the long gap experienced between this meeting and the last one, does not repeat itself. It is my intention to organise this important get-together on an annual basis.
An occasion such as this presents an excellent opportunity for us to not only meet and review our work over the past year. It also serves to fuel our ongoing, often multi-faceted work through the exchange of ideas and experiences and it serves to improve the direction, or renew the focus, of the work we undertake.
I intend to spend the next few minutes looking at the Foreign Policy objectives of this government in the coming years.
During the meeting emphasis will be placed on active participation and discussion, through which I hope will emerge a clearer picture of our end goal. It is on this basis that I believe we can then better engage not only our own energies but also those of our Mission staff and counterpart organisations in Malta.
Each Mission's work is part of an indivisible whole as indeed are our objectives - none of them should be considered in isolation. These objectives can only be best understood as part of a wider context. Although each may be quantifiable separately, it is their very complementary nature that necessitates them being considered as a whole - a whole that together forms a complete picture of Malta's foreign policy at this particular moment in time. This means to say that every mission - bilateral or multilateral - wherever it is located - is essential in the execution of Malta's foreign policy.
Our Foreign Policy goals are:
| Membership of the European Union in the next | enlargement |
| Active pursuit of the common interests of the | Mediterranean region |
| Best possible Bilateral relations with third | Countries |
Effective participation in Multilateral fora
| Each of these will be delved into in greater detail | in the respective slot allocated in the agenda. Suffice it, at this point in time, for me to give a general overview of Government's foreign policy goals in each of the listed sectors. |
| Government has been resoundingly clear that it is | its intention for Malta to be included in the next enlargement envisaged to take place in the coming years. Within this over-riding goal, it is Government's immediate aim to open all the remaining chapters for negotiation and to close as many chapters as necessary to catch up with the ?Luxembourg' Group. |
| Government plans to complete all negotiations by | June 2002 in line with the Commission's enlargement strategy paper endorsed in Nice. During these negotiations Malta will seek to obtain the necessary transitional periods and special arrangements to ensure that the final negotiated package is the most advantageous possible. |
| 1 January 2003 is the working deadline that Malta, | along with other candidate countries, has determined will be the point at which Malta will have completed its preparations for membership. |
| In order for us to be prepared for such an | undertaking there is currently a dynamic process underway to ensure the upgrading of government and commercial practices, the introduction of new safeguards for consumers and workers and the creation of certain crucial administrative structures and institutional capacity building. In this context, the public sector has demonstrated its ability to not only rise to the occasion, but to exceed expectations. The continued support of member states and EU institutions should be actively pursued in this regard. |
| It is our intention to pursue a more vigorous role | in the Mediterranean which we believe is an area teeming with opportunity. We need to move from words to action for the well-being of this region that for so long has been riddled with strife, terrorism, migration and low levels of development. |
| To do this we intend to continue our active | participation in the various regional initiatives that are currently underway, including the revivial of the 5+5 Dialogue. But more than that we intend to take some concrete steps of our own. |
| Amongst these we shall work towards the conclusion | of a number of free trade agreements with the states lining the North African shore, foremost amongst these being Egypt and Tunisia. And additionally we plan to construct different modes of co-operation particularly with those Mediterranean states having representation in Malta. Furthermore we are eligible for certain funding under the MEDA regional funds which are specifically geared towards thematic co-operation between 2 European and 2 Mediterranean partners, in fields such as transport, energy, parliamentary dialogue and the environment. Action under this banner has already commenced through a number of conferences and training organised in Malta. |
| At a parliamentary level we also hope to pursue the | CSCM process within the IPU and are actively engaged in the setting up of a Parliamentary Assembly of Mediterranean states within the IPU. |
| Strong relations with key players in each region | are particularly important in Malta's case as for logistical and cost reasons, we tend to have embassies responsible for a number of countries in a particular region. Co-operation may take several different forms through the conclusion of certain crucial bilateral agreements in addition to the promotion of youth, cultural, trade and other exchanges. Our priority for the coming years will be the conclusion of agreements on the Avoidance of Double Taxation, Investment Guarantees and the Fight against Organised Crime. It is our intention to continue to widen this network with other countries. |
| The deepening of co-operation is also crucial as a | number of spheres serve to benefit from this - be it training for the Armed Forces, scholarships for Maltese students, other exchange programmes or improved trade opportunities. A large amount of bilateral co-operation during the course of the past year and in future years, also focuses on capacity building in connection with Malta's application to join the European Union. Co-operation with our Mediterranean partners is also planned as outlined earlier. |
| The significant number of bilateral visits, both | inward and outward, have also served to deepen ties and consolidate a wide network of partners. |
| Malta has traditionally played an effective role in | international fora. We intend to maintain this position as we truly believe that we have a significant contribution to make. |
| This does not however mean that we must be in all | places at all times - resources as we well know, are limited. Rather we must carefully assess when and where Malta has a specific interest in a particular matter and then pursue such with determination. It is my firm wish that the ensuing sessions today will paint a clear picture as to what these interests are. One must bear in mind the direct links that exist between positions adopted in multilateral fora and relations on a bilateral level. |
| The issue of putting forward, contesting and | successfully securing representation in certain international or regional fora is also of extreme importance, as a means of influencing decisions that may have some form of effect on Malta. Malta this year has formed part of the High Level Review Group of the Commonwealth, we have participated actively in both the OSCE and the Council of Europe and we must continue to do so, contributing to the work of these organisations whilst simultaneously raising the profile of Malta overseas. In this way we may also bring very concrete and tangible benefits to Malta through technical assistance, training and support. |
| The way forward for us to truly achieve these | objectives within our foreign policy will involve the consolidation of the above goals within a broad context. A context in which every part of the whole contributes to the progress and the prosperity of the country. |
| A meeting such as this should serve to deepen the | understanding of the role each of us play in Malta's foreign policy machinery and should lead to better harmonisation and synergy between our operations around the globe. It will hopefully clarify, at least on the third day, any new policies and/or administrative regulations that have come into effect over the past year, in addition to those envisaged for the future. |
| I augur that you will find meetings like this of | use and I wish you to go back to the respective capitals in which you are stationed with strengthened resolve to execute Malta's foreign policy in a persuasive and determined manner. |
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