Treaty between the Republic of Malta and the Socialist People’s Libyan Arab JamahiriyaKingdom of Morocco and of the members of the General Con-
gress of the Libyan Jamahiriya People.
The mission of this Assembly is to submit to the Chairman-
ship recommendations with a view to strengthening the Union
and attaining its goals.
Article 6. The Union comprises an Executive Commission
formed of the Council of Ministers of the Kingdom of Morocco
and the General Popular Commission of the Libyan Jamahiriya.
The Executive Commission whose task is to follow-up the
decisions of the chairmanship and to ensure their implementa-
tion, convenes at regular intervals, alternately in each of the two
countries.
Article 7. The Union is provided with a Court of Justice
whose composition is fixed by decision of the Chairmanship.
If a dispute arises between the two contracting parties con-
cerning the execution and the interpretation of the present
treaty, each of them has the right to take the matter before the
Court of the Union.
The decisions and judgments of the Court are definitive and
binding.
Article 8. The Union’s goal is:
- To strengthen the links of brotherhood between the two
states and the two peoples - To promote progress in the Arab Community and to
defend its rights - To participate in the safeguarding of peace each time it is
founded on justice and equity and marked by stability and
permanence - To implement joint policies
- To contribute to the unification of the Arab Maghreb and,
consequently, to the achievement of the unity of the Arab
Nation.
Article 9. The joint policies mentioned in the preceding arti-
cle concern: - In the international arena, the fraternal understanding
between the two Countries and their close diplomatic
cooperation - In the area of defense, the safeguarding of the independ-
ence of each of the two countries - In the field of economics, industrial, agricultural, commer-
cial and Social development, through the creation of joint
ventures and the elaboration of specific or general eco-
nomic programs - In the cultural area, cooperation aimed at the development
of Instruction St all levels, the preservation of moral and
spiritual values founded on the teachings of Islam and the
safeguarding of the Arab national identity, notable through
the exchange of students and teachers, and the creation of
cultural mid joint research institutions and universities.
Article 10. The Union is provided with a functioning budget
and a developmental budget.
Article 11. With unreserved respect for their respective sov-
ereignty, each of the two states commits itself not to interfere
with the other country’s internal affairs.
Article 12. Any aggression towards one of the two states
would constitute an aggression towards the other.
Article 13. The Union does not exclude for any of the two
contracting parties the conclusion of analogous or similar
agreements that each of them might conclude with third states.
With the agreement of the two contracting parties, third
states belonging to the Arab Nation or to the African Commu-
nity can adhere to the present treaty and become members of
the Union.
Article 14. An Ad Hoc Commission whose members will be
appointed by the Chairmanship will present complementary
draft agreements aimed at specifying or developing the provi-
sions mentioned above.
These draft agreements will be submitted to the Chairman-
ship for decision.
Article 15. The interests of each of the two states will be rep-
resented in the other by a Minister or a Resident Secretary.
Article 16. The present Treaty will become effective after
approval, through a referendum, of the people of the Kingdom
of Morocco and the people of the Libyan Jamahiriya in con-
formity with the procedures applicable in each of two states.
Done in Oujda, Monday August 13, 19844.1432 Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation
between the Government of the Republic of
Malta and the Socialist People’s Libyan Arab
Jamahiriya
Alliance Members:Malta and Libya
Signed On:November 29, 1984, in the city of Tripoli (Libya). In force
until November 26, 1989.
Alliance Type:Defense Pact (Type I)
Source: Government of Malta, Ministry of Justice and Home Affairs,
docs.justice.gov.mt/lom/legislation/english/leg/vol_7/chapt311.pdf.SUMMARY
Following the election of Dom Mintoff as prime minister in 1971,
Malta, a former British colony, began to pursue stronger relations with
Libya. Closer relations were formalized ten years later with this five-
year treaty of friendship and cooperation that outlined a military and
security alliance between the two nations. According to the agreement,
Malta pledged “not to allow its territory to be used militarily against
the security, territorial integrity of Libya.” In turn, Libya pledged to
assist and defend Malta against aggression from hostile threats. Libya
also agreed to train Maltese military members and supply Malta with
arms. At the signing of this alliance, Mintoff announced that Malta
would not renew an agreement with Italy in which Italy was to provide
Malta with $12 million annually in exchange for neutrality. Soon after
these actions were announced, Mintoff visited the Soviet Union to
confirm his nation’s ties to Moscow. During the course of the treaty,
Malta warned the Libyan leader, Mu ̨ammar Gadhafi, of an impending
attack from the United Sates.
In the mid-1980s, however, the ruling Labor Party was defeated in
elections and a new government headed by the Nationalist Party came