The hitch-ridden 5+5

Every time Malta tried to get down to holding a 5+5 summit hitches invariably arose.

In 2011 it was bogged down by the Arab Spring while this time round GonziPN's internal government problems must be uppermost in his mind even though he is putting on a fake 'business as usual' approach.

What many might find even more intriguing is that Gonzi has always been so desperate to milk the 5+5 process dry for photo opportunities that only last year when the Arab Spring had already mushroomed in Tunisia he had had no qualms in encouraging Libyan dictator Qaddafi to do his utmost to attend the Malta 5+5 summit, which at that stage had been still set for June last year.

Reports in the local media had confirmed that Qaddafi himself had been eager to attend the summit particularly since as Gonzi had put it the summit had gained in importance because 'of the developing situation in North Africa'. This statement had been made at the end what had been termed as a surprise visit to Libya.

In media statements not only had the Prime Minister claimed that Malta and Libya were both watching the events taking place in the region but also that 'stability would return'. Whatever that might have really meant.

According to The Times of 9.2.11 the talks between the Libyan dictator and the last European leader to visit Tripoli - Lawrence Gonzi - had also dealt with the oil exploration issue between the two countries. So much so that they had discussed also co-operation for future arrangements re visas, education and immigration.

A few days later Gonzi followed in the footsteps of certain Western leaders who ditched Qaddafi the same way they had ditched Mubarak and Ben Ali after propping them up to safeguard their anti-Islamic concerns.

Leo Brincat