Deputy Prime Minister Ian Borg joined an EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting with the Prime Minister of Lebanon, Nawaf Salam, reiterating Malta’s support to the government and the people of Lebanon in their efforts to build stability and security, despite being entangled in a conflict that they did not initiate.
The EU Foreign Ministers’ exchange with the Prime Minister of Lebanon took place during the April meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council on Tuesday morning in Luxembourg.
While welcoming the temporary ceasefire and the ongoing negotiations between Israel, Lebanon and the United States, the Maltese Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism warned that “the harm inflicted on innocent civilians is unacceptable and the recent cycle of violence is jeopardising the fragile progress that Lebanon has made in recent months, particularly on much-needed reforms.”
Malta continues to support the process to restore Lebanon’s full state authority, including the disarmament of Hezbollah and the consolidation of the state’s monopoly over the use of force, in line with UNSCR 1701.
“We stress the importance of meaningful dialogue as a necessary step towards de-escalation,” Dr Borg affirmed, adding that “the choices made in the coming period will shape the trajectory of this crisis and the security and stability of the wider region.”
He also emphasised the need to ensure the safety and security of peacekeepers, expressing solidarity with UNIFIL personnel, following the recent fatal attack in Southern Lebanon.
Tuesday’s Foreign Affairs Council meeting also discussed the war in Iran and the latest developments in Ukraine, with the participation of the Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha.
As he highlighted the need to continue putting pressure on Russia to end its war of aggression, Dr Borg called for swift solutions to unblock EU initiatives in support of Ukraine and its people, including the Ukraine Support Loan and the enlargement process. He also commended EU assistance on cyber and hybrid threats to safeguard Ukraine’s democratic processes and ensure lasting security.
Commenting on the ongoing situation in the Strait of Hormuz, the Maltese Deputy Prime Minister called for continued diplomatic engagement to preserve maritime security and freedom of navigation.
“We welcome our Gulf partners’ measured multilateral response as opposed to a unilateral show of force,” he said, explaining that “through Malta’s recent co-sponsorship of UNSCR 2817, the IMO Council Declaration and the Human Rights Council Resolution in Geneva, we reaffirmed our firm resolve to support Gulf countries in the face of indiscriminate attacks on their civilians, infrastructure and economies”.
Photos: MFT
