Waqt li kien qed jitkellem fil-Kunsill tal-Affarijiet Barranin fil-Lussemburgu nhar it-Tnejn, il-Ministru għall-Affarijiet Barranin u Ewropej Chris Fearne laqa’ l-Qbil milħuq bejn l-Istati Uniti u l-Iran bil-għan li jintemmu t-tensjonijiet attwali fil-Lvant Nofsani u li se jwassal, fost affarijiet oħra, għall-ftuħ mill-ġdid tal-Istrett ta’ Hormuz.
“Malta tagħraf li din issa hija opportunità biex niksbu, minflok eskalazzjoni ta’ gwerer, eskalazzjoni ta’ paċi madwar il-Lvant Nofsani kollu,” qal il-Ministru Fearne lill-kontropartijiet tiegħu tal-UE.
Il-Ministru Fearne enfasizza wkoll l-importanza ta’ impenn aktar attiv mill-UE fl-isforzi tal-bini tal-Istat Palestinjan, filwaqt li enfasizza wkoll l-importanza li jiġu appoġġjati r-riformi kontinwi fi ħdan l-Awtorità Palestinjana.
Fil-Kunsill tal-Affarijiet Barranin, il-Ministri ddiskutew l-aħħar żviluppi relatati mal-gwerra ta’ aggressjoni tar-Russja kontra l-Ukrajna, is-sitwazzjoni fil-Lvant Nofsani, inkluża l-gwerra fl-Iran u l-effetti tagħha madwar ir-reġjun, u l-istat tar-relazzjonijiet bejn l-UE u ċ-Ċina.
Rigward il-gwerra li għadha għaddejja fl-Ukrajna, Malta ngħaqdet ma’ Ministri oħra tal-UE fil-kundanna tal-attakki Russi matul il-lejl fuq Kiev. Filwaqt li enfasizzat l-importanza li l-UE tibqa’ proattiva, Malta saħqet fuq il-ħtieġa li tiġi indirizzata l-preżenza tax-Shadow Fleet fil-Mediterran. Dan huwa kruċjali għas-sigurtà u s-sikurezza marittima, partikolarment għall-pajjiżi Mediterranji tal-UE. Il-Ministru Fearne stqarr li projbizzjoni marittima sħiħa tkun effettiva biss b’appoġġ globali, partikolarment mill-imsieħba tal-G7.
Fil-marġini tal-laqgħa tal-Affarijiet Barranin, il-Ministru Fearne ipparteċipa wkoll fil-Kunsill ta’ Assoċjazzjoni UE-Eġittu u kellu wkoll laqgħa bilaterali mal-Ministru għall-Affarijiet Barranin tal-Eġittu Badr Abdelatty u mad-Deputat Prim Ministru għall-Integrazzjoni Ewropea tal-Moldova, Cristina Gerasimov.
Ritratti: MFE
Link għall-filmat: https://www.swisstransfer.com/d/afba81f5-a71d-4a8d-a998-9953263ad88c
PR261018en + photos + link to footage
PRESS RELEASE BY THE MINISTRY FOR FOREIGN AND EUROPEAN AFFAIRS
Malta welcomes the US-Iran agreement at EU Foreign Affairs Council: “It is an opportunity for escalation of peace in entire Middle East”
Speaking at the Foreign Affairs Council in Luxembourg on Monday Foreign and European Affairs Minister Chris Fearne welcomed the Memorandum of Understanding reached between the US and Iran aimed at ending the current tensions in the Middle East and which will lead, among other things, to the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
“Malta recognises that this is now an opportunity to achieve, instead of an escalation of wars, an escalation of peace across the entire Middle East,” Minister Fearne told his EU counterparts.
Minister Fearne also highlighted the importance of more active EU engagement in Palestinian state-building efforts while also highlighting the importance of supporting continued reforms within the Palestinian Authority.
At the Foreign Affairs Council, Ministers discussed the latest developments related to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, the situation in the Middle East – including the war in Iran and its effects across the region – and the state of play of relations between the EU and China.
Regarding the ongoing war in Ukraine, Malta joined other EU ministers in condemning the overnight Russian attacks on Kiev. While highlighting the importance that the EU remains proactive, Malta emphasised the need to address the presence of the Shadow Fleet in the Mediterranean. This is crucial for maritime safety and security particularly to the EU Mediterranean countries. Minister Fearne stated that a full maritime ban will only be effective with global buy-in, particularly from G7 partners.
In the margins of the Foreign Affairs meeting, Minister Fearne also participated in the EU-Egypt Association Council and also held a bilateral meeting with the Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and with the Moldovan Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration of Moldova, Cristina Gerasimov.
