Malta Commends Morocco’s Important Role in Mediterranean Region

The Minister for European and Foreign Affairs of Malta, Evarist Bartolo, said Tuesday in Rabat that his country recognizes “the important role” played by Morocco in the Mediterranean region, particularly its efforts regarding the Libyan issue. Speaking at a press briefing following talks with the Moroccan minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccans Abroad, Nasser Bourita, the Maltese top diplomat underlined that Rabat has a “discreet diplomacy which considers that its the Libyans themselves who must resolve their situation”. “We also believe that imposing a situation from outside will not be a solution. We call on our Libyan friends to come together and find a way forward politically, economically and militarily,” Bartolo said. The Kingdom of Morocco and the Republic of Malta expressed, on this occasion, their determination to work together within the framework of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) to give new impetus to economic development. “Morocco and Malta can work together within the framework of the UfM to which we belong and in which we believe in order to give new impetus to economic development”, said Mr. Bartolo. “We would like Europe to understand better that there cannot be security and peace in Europe if there is no security and peace in Africa. The future of the two continents is linked and regardless of how much importance we attach to other regions of the world, Europe’s immediate neighbor is Africa,” he pointed out. For his part, Mr. Bourita stressed that his meeting with the Maltese minister was also an opportunity to commend the solidity of the relations linking the two countries, which are united by a common Euro-Mediterranean neighborhood and strong relations between Morocco and the European Union, which face common challenges in the Mediterranean. The minister also stressed the convergence of points of view between Morocco and Malta on various international issues.