Alternattiva Demokratika and Partit Demokratiku called for any draft of any Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) with the USA to be made public immediately. It would be unacceptable for the leader of the Opposition, the Prime Minister and his cabinet to come to an agreement secretly and avoid public scrutiny. For all we know PL and PN have already come to an agreement and will rush a vote through Malta’s Parliament. Any military defence agreements, or anti-smuggling operations, when and if necessary, should be made through a common EU defence cooperation mechanism, as a partnership amongst equals.
US contractors and military personnel temporarily passing through Malta, or in Maltese waters should be subject to the Maltese justice system and all laws and regulations like all other citizens, residents and organisations based in Malta. US Forces do not need special status to combat smuggling in international waters. Additionally the US is not a signatory to the International Criminal Court and expects to be treated differently, and as such it cannot be trusted to stick to internationally agreed standards of conduct, neither in peace nor in war. It is also pertinent to note that the US Navy refuses to divulge to countries it visits whether it carries nuclear warheads on particular ships or whether ships are nuclear powered. Our harbours should be nuclear free, and the US is in no position to guarantee this.
AD and PD also call out Government’s cynicism should it enter into a SOFA agreement to avoid a spotlight on Malta’s weak enforcement of financial crime laws. The Prime Minister’s assurances that this is not the case are not credible.
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AD u PD: Il-forzi Amerikani m’għandhomx jingħataw status speċjali
Alternattiva Demokratika u l-Partit Demokratiku appellaw biex kwalunkwe abbozz ta’ kwalunkwe ftehim dwar l-Istatus tal-Forzi Militari mal-Istati Uniti (SOFA) jsir pubbliku immedjatament. Ikun inaċċettabbli li l-kap tal-Oppożizzjoni, il-Prim Ministru u l-kabinett tiegħu jaslu għal ftehim bil-moħbi u jevitaw l-iskrutinju pubbliku. Is-segretezza dwar il-ftehim u r-rapporti fil-media jqajjmu suspetti li l-PL u l-PN diġà waslu għal ftehim u jista’ jkun li jittieħed vot ta’ malajr fil-Parlament. Kwalunkwe ftehim ta’ difiża militari, jew operazzjonijiet kontra l-kuntrabandu, meta u jekk meħtieġ, għandhom isiru permezz ta’ mekkaniżmi ta’ kooperazzjoni militari komuni tal-UE, bħala koperazzjoni bejn stati ugwali, b’liġijiet u standards komuni.
Kuntratturi tal-militar tal-Istati Uniti u forzi militari li jgħaddu temporanjament minn Malta, jew mill-ibħra Maltin għandhom ikunu soġġetti għas-sistema tal-ġustizzja Maltija u l-liġijiet u r-regolamenti kollha aplikabbli f’Malta, bħal kull ċittadin, resident u organizzazzjoni ibbażata f’Malta. Il-Forzi Amerikani m’għandhomx bżonn ta’ status speċjali biex jiġġieldu l-kuntrabandu fl-ibħra internazzjonali. Barra minn hekk l-Istati Uniti mhumiex firmatarji tal-ftehim dwar il-Qorti Kriminali Internazzjonali u jippretendu li jiġu ttrattati b’mod differenti. L-Istati Uniti ma tistax tiġi fdata li żżomm ma ‘standards ta’ kondotta miftiehma internazzjonalment, la fil-paċi u lanqas fil-gwerra. Huwa wkoll pertinenti li ninnotaw li l-flotta navali tal-Istati Uniti tirrifjuta li tiżvela vapuri li jidħlu fil-portijiet ta’ pajjiżi oħra jġorrux testati nukleari jew jekk il-vapuri jaħdmux bl-enerġija nukleari. Il-portijiet tagħna għandhom ikunu ħielsa min-nukleari, u l-Istati Uniti mhix f’pożizzjoni li tiggarantixxi dan.
AD u PD ma jistgħux ma jinnotawx hemm suspetti kbar li l-Gvern wasal għal ftehim dwar is-SOFA biex jevita attenzjoni fuq l-infurzar dgħajjef minn Malta tal-liġijiet dwar il-kriminalità finanzjarja. L-assigurazzjonijiet tal-Prim Ministru li dan mhux il-każ mhumiex kredibbli.
