Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/468421
maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 25 FEBRUARY 2015 9 News Foreign Affairs Minister hopes for reconciliation by Libya's HoR 'It would be a shame if peace talks fall through' – George Vella MIRIAM DALLI IT would be a shame if all efforts invested so far in UN-backed peace talks among warring factions in Libya fall through, Foreign Affairs Minister George Vella said. Having been part of the initial peace talks led by UN special en- voy Bernardino Leon, the Tobruk- based House of Representatives (HoR) surprised observers when on Monday it voted to suspend its participation in the talks. The suspension comes after months of efforts by Leon to bring the rival governments round the table. Although the HoR – recog- nised internationally as the legiti- mate government – and the Tripoli government only communicated through intermediaries, the inter- national community was hoping for the two to come together and form a national unity government. Speaking to MaltaToday, Vella said that Natalya Apostolova – head of the EU delegation to Libya – had confirmed that the peace talks were now on hold. "It would be a shame if the HoR were to completely pull out from the talks. So much effort was in- vested and, lately, we had also started seeing some progress that was encouraging," he said. Leon had called on the interna- tional community to allow the dip- lomatic process a second thought after a number of countries rallied around Libya's and Egypt's call for a UN-mandated intervention in Libya. According to the Libya Herald, the HoR voted to suspend its par- ticipation in the peace talks be- cause of last week 's bombing in Guba which killed 42 people. Sixty MPs out of 82 members present [from a total of over 200 Libyan MPs] voted in favour of the sus- pension. "Attempts are currently under- way to convince the HoR to change its position and continue with its participation in the peace talks. The situation is however still f lu- id," Vella said, adding that he was trying to get in contact with Lib- ya's foreign minister, Mohammed al-Dairi. It transpires that a group within the HoR believes that the UN, the US and the UK are "supporting" extremist factions because of their position in favour of the Tripoli- based government to join in the formation of a national unity gov- ernment. On the other hand, the main Islamic State force in Libya has "damned as infidels" both the HoR and the government in Beida and the Hassi regime in Tripoli, includ- ing the General National Congress, everyone linked to them and virtu- ally all the military bodies in the country. The Libya Herald reported that Battar, described as the main Is- lamist force in Derna, issued a warning on Misrata through a me- dia office not to interfere in what it was doing. Among the list of 'infidels', Battar has included "anyone who supports democracy", the Libya Herald said. "Battar also claimed that it was now active in Beida and Tobruk and would soon reach Tripoli and Misrata." Birgu Regatta club extension application withdrawn JAMES DEBONO AN application to add a new storey to regatta club withdrawn by "applicant" after it was shot down by heritage watchdogs. But Birgu mayor was una- ware that the application had been withdrawn by the architect. A controversial application by the Birgu local council to add a new sto- rey to the regatta club has been with- drawn. The club abuts on the bastion and its extension by an extra storey was shot down by two heritage watchdogs. MEPA was due to take a decision on the proposed development yesterday but the board was informed by the architect that the application was be- ing withdrawn. Details on the MEPA website confirm that the application was withdrawn at "the request of the applicant". But contacted by MaltaTo- day Birgu Mayor John Boxall was not aware that the application had been withdrawn. "As the applicant I should have been informed that the application has been withdrawn," a surprised mayor told MaltaToday. Boxall confirmed that the architect who drew up the plans which included the extra storey was from the government's own pub- lic works department. The council's application was first brought to public attention by Malta- Today last month. The Superintendence for Cultural Heritage had objected to the proposed addition to the Birgu Regatta Club, located within the ditch below the Vittoriosa bastions along the shore of Kalkara creek. And MEPA's Cultural Heritage Panel is objecting not only to the ad- ditional height proposal, but also to other structures at ground level. Mayor Boxall presented the applica- tion, to also regularise illegal develop- ment, in August last year. According to the Superintendence, the proposed additional height would interrupt the existing views of the bastions. The Superintendence noted that the harbour fortifications were placed on the "tentative list" for inscription as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A sal- ly port, which forms part of the forti- fications, is located a few metres away from the proposed development. The Superintendence did not object to the proposed alterations at ground level. But it is calling on MEPA to re- ject the development if the proposed first floor level is not removed. But for MEPA's Cultural Heritage Panel, the existing building is already creating a negative impact on the bastions and it is therefore objecting not just to any increase in height to the present building, but also to any sanctioning of structures at ground floor, which the panel says should be demolished. The site is already subject to three enforcement orders issued in 2007 against the illegal extension of the ex- isting building. The premises of the Birgu Regatta club include facilities for the stor- age of boats, a snack bar with outside seating and a large canopy. Boxall's application also proposes the regu- larisation of illegally constructed rooms at ground level. An application to sanction these rooms was refused in 2008. The Planning Directorate had called on MEPA to refuse the development, and agreed with the Cultural Herit- age Panel that these rooms should be removed. The Directorate also criticised the design, noting that an open staircase will be seen from across the creek. When contacted two weeks ago, Boxall told MaltaToday that the coun- cil wants to upgrade existing facilities and make the area more attractive for both locals and visitors. When asked about the impact of the additional height on the historical landscape Boxall said: "We will surely not create a monstrosity like the new apartments [on the waterfront]." Asked about pending illegalities on the site, Boxall replied that the aim is to abide by planning regulations and to ensure that all development is reg- ularised. "We will follow any direc- tives given by MEPA," Boxall said. Bunkering having an ecological toll on Sikka l-Bajda JAMES DEBONO DEPRESSIONS sometimes reaching a depth of 370 metres cutting across the protected sea grass in the Sikka l-Bajda reef are reported in environmental stud- ies conducted to assess the im- pact of the aborted windfarm. These depressions have been attributed to anchor dragging by large vessels, which presently use the area for bunkering ac- tivities. Bunkering is the process of supplying fuels to ships for their own use. The Sikka l-Bajda forms part of the largest bunkering site in Malta. In 2009, 563 oil tank- ers – an average of about two oil tankers a day – used the reef for bunkering. The number of ships varies ac- cording to the weather since the area is used mostly when south- west winds prevail. The studies reveal that a series of "deep, elongated, narrow and linear to meandering depres- sions" can be observed across parts of the Sikka l-Bajda pla- teau. In 2004, around 13.5% of bun- kering activit y (ship to ship by bunker barge) carried out in Malta was carried out at the Sikka l-Bajda. This activit y in- creased in 2009, when approxi- mately 20% of bunkering carried out in Malta took place at this site. The studies have also revealed that over the years, the Sikka l-Bajda reef has been heavily fished in illegal trawling activi- ties. Other negative impacts of bun- kering operations include spill- ages from bunkering operation incidents like tank overf low or hose breaks into the marine en- vironment. Another impact is the possi- ble introduction of alien marine species through discharge of ballast water. The proposed windfarm would have put bunkering activities to an end, as dropping anchor in areas in the presence of under- water electrical supply cables would have posed a very high risk. This would have required the relocation of bunkering activi- ties from the reef to another ar- ea sheltered from the Southwest winds. One of the studies included in the EIA states that the cessation of bunkering and a fish farm in the Sikka l-Bajda environs, would translate into an improve- ment of sediment and seawater qualit y. But the same studies also showed a negative impact of the windfarm's foundations on underlying posidonia meadows. The windfarm would also have had a major negative impact on the neighbouring Shearwater bird colony. Libyan Prime Minister Al-Thinni