(S/NF) KUDOS AND FOLLOWUP QUESTIONS ON MALTA'S

C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 057002 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/03/2034 TAGS: PINR MARR NATO MT SUBJECT: (S/NF) KUDOS AND FOLLOWUP QUESTIONS ON MALTA'S PARTNERSHIP FOR PEACE STATUS AND STATUS OF FORCES AGREEMENT POSITION. (C-RE9-00903) REF: A. VALLETTA 000134 ¶B. VALLETTA 000416 ¶C. VALLETTA 000417 Classified By: SUZANNE MCCORMICK, DIR., INR/OPS. REASON: 1.4(C). ¶1. (C) WASHINGTON ANALYSTS APPRECIATE REFS REGARDING MALTA'S RE-ENTRY INTO NATO'S PARTNERSHIP FOR PEACE (PFP) PROGRAM AND THE SHORT- AND LONG-TERM POLITICAL/MILITARY IMPLICATIONS. ANALYSTS CONTINUE TO FOLLOW INTERNAL POLITICAL ISSUES AFFECTING MALTA'S RE-ENTRY INTO NATO PFP AND THEIR POSSIBLE FUTURE MILITARY COOPERATION WITH NATO AND THE US. IF THIS INFORMATION CAN BE ACQUIRED IN THE NORMAL COURSE OF BUSINESS, ANALYSTS WOULD APPRECIATE ANY UPDATES ON MALTA'S STATUS OF FORCES AGREEMENT (SOFA) LEGISLATION, INFORMATION ON THE POLITICAL OR MILITARY IMPLICATIONS SURROUNDING A POSSIBLE NATO SOFA OR A POSSIBLE BILATERAL SOFA WITH THE UNITED STATES, AS TIME AND RESOURCES PERMIT. MANY THANKS, AND REGARDS FROM WASHINGTON. ¶A. (C) IN WHAT WAYS, IF ANY, DOES FOREIGN MINISTER BORG'S FORMER EXPERIENCE AS JUSTICE MINISTER INFORM HIS CURRENT VIEWS AND POSITION ON SOFA? UNDER WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES WOULD HE ACCEPT BROAD SOFA LEGISLATION? WHAT ARE HIS VIEWS ON MALTA'S PFP STATUS? ¶B. (C) WHY DOES THE PM THINK THAT THE GOM WILL BE ABLE TO MOVE BROAD SOFA LEGISLATION QUIETLY THROUGH PARLIAMENT WITHOUT FORMAL DEBATE? WHAT PREPARATIONS, IF ANY, HAVE THEY MADE IN THE EVENT THAT SUCH A DEBATE IS REQUIRED? HOW MUCH APPROVAL IS NEEDED FOR THE GOM TO ENACT THIS LEGISLATION? WHAT INITIAL STEPS DOES THE GOM PLAN TO TAKE TO IMPLEMENT THE LAW FOLLOWING PARLIAMENT APPROVAL? ¶C. (C) WHAT MEASURES, IF ANY, IS THE MALTESE LABOR PARTY PREPARED TO TAKE TO PREVENT ANY FURTHER GOM INVOLVEMENT WITH SOFA OR NATO? ¶D. (C) WHAT ARE THE VIEWS OF OFFICIALS IN THE ARMED FORCES OF MALTA IN REGARDS TO GREATER INVOLVEMENT IN NATO OR POSSIBLE BILATERAL EXERCISES WITH THE US? ¶E. (C) WHAT ARE THE VIEWS OF POLITICAL AND MILITARY LEADERS ON POSSIBLE MALTESE PARTICIPATION IN COUNTERPIRACY OPERATIONS EITHER BILATERALLY WITH THE US OR MULTILATERALLY WITH THE EU OR NATO JTF? ¶F. (C) GIVEN THE GENERAL PUBLIC'S STRONG OPPOSITION TO SOFA IMMUNITIES, WHAT IS THEIR SENTIMENT REGARDING MALTA'S MEMBERSHIP IN PFP OR FUTURE ENGAGEMENT WITH NATO AND/OR THE US ON MILITARY ISSUES? UNDER WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES COULD THE PUBLIC'S SOFA OPPOSITION RESULT IN A BACKLASH THAT COULD AFFECT GOVERNMENT STABILITY? ¶2. (U) PLEASE CITE C-RE9-00903 IN THE SUBJECT LINE OF REPORTING IN RESPONSE TO THE ABOVE QUESTIONS. CLINTON