From 50 Years Ago: Malta and Libya: A Novel Relationship

Malta and Libya: A Novel Relationship

Due to its strategic position between the southern tip of Europe and the North African coast and astride the trade routes from the West European ports to the Middle East and beyond, Malta has been fought over by generations of conquerors and seafarers. Only in the last few years have the British and other naval powers realised that in modern conditions, island bases are more a political and military liability than an asset. And since Malta got its independence from British rule in 1964, successive Maltese governments have been trying to obtain a higher price from the British for the use of naval and air bases. In fact, the Maltese have been in need of greater financial aid because of the declining British use of the island’s service and repair facilities to which the country’s economy has long been geared. The Maltese request for more money as compensation for the economic losses suffered, has not been met with great favour by the British who have their own economic worries.