Maltese threat delays end of East-West talks

Press, 6 March 1978, Page 9

Maltese threat delays end of East-West talks

NZPA-Reuter Belgrade Malta has threatened to veto a key result of the European security conference by stopping a third round of East-West talks on detente in 1980. The Mediterranean island’s, stand was the last obstable to agreement on a final declaration from the quarrelsome 35-nation conference which should have finished; two weeks ago. The chief Maltese delegate (Mr Victor Gauchi) said he would veto an East-West agreement to hold a similar meeting in Madrid in 1980 unless the conference sei up a special committee to study Mediterranean issues. East and West diplomats; fear this could side-track the! process of detente begun at) the Helsinki security confer-?

ence in 1975 and which ihe Belgrade meeting is assess- ■ ing. The proposal for a third conference is contained in a draft declaration approved three days, ago by most of the Belgrade delegates, including the United- States and the Soviet Union. I j But Mr Gauchi insisted that without concessions on the Mediterranean, “we cannot accept that the conference will meet again in Ma'drid.” Maltese obstinacy also delayed agreement in Helsinki. : Decisions of the conference ihave to be unanimous. Earlier, Rumania was persuaded to withdraw objectrions to the draft of the final declaration — which makes .‘none of the references which (the West had hoped for on : human rights — leaving! Malta isolated.