Malta m’għandhiex iġġedded is-sħubija tagħha fil-Partnership for Peace tan-NATO – Alfred Sant

L-eks Prim Ministru u Membru Parlamentati Ewropew Laburista Alfred Sant iffirma ittra indirizzata lill-Prim Ministru ta’ Malta Robert Abela biex ma jġeddidx is-sħubija ta’ Malta fil-Partnership for Peace tan-NATO. Bosta personalitajiet oħra ffirmaw din l-istqarrija pubblika fosthom il-President Emeritus Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca.

Il-Partnership for Peace (PfP) huwa programm ta’ kooperazzjoni bilaterali bejn in-NATO u l-pajjiżi li jifformaw parti minnha. Dan huwa deskritt bħala programm li jippromwovi l-paċi u l-istabbiltà fl-Ewropa kollha. L-eks Prim Ministru Alfred Sant ħareġ lil Malta mill-programm fl-1996 peress li Malta hija pajjiż newtrali u hija kostituzzjonalment ipprojbita milli tipparteċipa f’alleanzi militari.

Fl-ittra intqal li l-Partnership for Peace huwa ftehim li fl-1994 kien ġie deskritt, mill-President tal-Istati Uniti ta’ dak iż-żmien Bill Clinton bħala: “track that will lead to membership for NATO” jiġifieri bħala triq li ser twassal għal sħubija fin-NATO. In-NATO hija alleanza militari, li bħall-alleanzi ta’ dan it-tip hi aġent li jservi biex jipprovoka sitwazzjonijiet ta’ gwerra. Il-kostituzzjoni ta’ pajjiżna tipprojbixxi kull sehem Malti f’alleanzi militari.

Fl-ittra intqal li n-newtralità ta’ Malta hija l-aħjar mezz għall-ħarsien tal-paċi f’pajjiżna, fir-reġjun tagħna u fid-dinja. Ġie enfasizzat li Malta m’għandhiex tissieħeb fl-ebda ftehim jew patt li jipperikola u jċaħħad lit-tfal u liż-żgħażagħ tagħna mit-tgawdija ta’ ħajja fil-paċi.

Il-firmatarji tal-ittra saħqu fuq il-punt li n-newtralità ta’ pajjiżna m’għandhiex tfisser li naħslu idejna mit-tbatija ta’ ħaddieħor. In-newtralità tfisser li nuru solidarjetà ma’ pajjiżi oħra, mingħajr ma’ noħolqu aktar tbatija ġejja minn vjolenza, gwerrer u armamenti ta’ kull tip inklużi dawk nukelari.

Il-firmatarji tal-ittra sostnew li l-Gvern Malti għandu josserva dak li nkiseb minn missirijietna u ommijietna meta tħabtu biex għalqu l-bażi tan-NATO, ma jibqgħux kolonja Ingliża, jintroduċu bidliet kostituzzjonali dwar in-newtralità u joħorġu mill-Partnership for Peace.

---

Malta should not extend its membership in NATO’s Partnership for Peace – Alfred Sant

Former Prime Minister and Labour MEP Alfred Sant put his signature to an open letter calling on Maltese Prime Minister Robert Abela not to extend Malta’s membership in NATO’s partnership for peace. Many other personalities signed the public statement among whom President Emeritus Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca.

The Partnership for Peace (PfP) is a programme of bilateral cooperation between NATO and its partner countries described as being there to promote peace and stability throughout Europe. Former Prime Minister Alfred Sant pulled Malta out of the programme in 1996 on the grounds that Malta is a neutral country and is constitutionally prohibited from participating in a military alliance.

In the letter it was claimed that in 1994, the President of the United States Bill Clinton described the Partnership for Peace as a “track that will lead to membership for NATO”. As a military alliance NATO is an agent which serves to provoke wars. The constitution prohibits Maltese participation in any military alliance. 

In the letter it was claimed that Malta’s neutrality is the best means by which the island can help to safeguard peace. It was emphasized that Malta should not engage in any agreement or pact that endangers the well-being of the Maltese people.

The signatories argued that Malta’s neutrality does not imply that we isolate ourselves from the suffering of others. Neutrality means showing solidarity without creating further conflict through acceptance of the use of violence, warfare, and all types of armaments, including nuclear ones.

The signatories to the letter stated that the Maltese Government should observe the achievements of the past with the closure of the NATO base in Malta, Freedom Day, the vote on constitutional changes on neutrality, and the withdrawal from the Partnership for Peace.