Initial variables of the data collection process:
UN/UN peacekeeping policy reform
No record.
Perception of peacekeeping
Malta has positive perceptions of peacekeeping. For example, Jose Antonio Linati-Bosch, Permanent Observer of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, said that the Order had started its humanitarian work nine hundred years ago (Science Blog 1999, par. 10).
Since then, it had not ceased to bring succour to those in need—today, its presence was noted in over one hundred countries. The Order had first offered its services to the United Nations in 1991. It had been providing assistance in many United Nations operations, including those in Rwanda, Guatemala and Uganda. The Sovereign Military Order of Malta strongly believed that peacekeeping operations could be based on preventive diplomacy, as well as on preventive deployment. (Ibid.)
The Nationalist Party (PN) government is confident that it will meet all the necessary criteria for early Euro adoption in 2008 (EIU 2006bz, 1). It is expected to call an election if, as is likely, this is confirmed in mid-2007 (Ibid.). After almost 20 years in power, the government faces an electorate eager for change and the opposition MLP is expected to win the electoral contest (Ibid.).
Domestic economic environment
Despite the lack of indigenous raw materials, its location at the periphery of Europe and Africa and a domestic market of fewer than 400,000 people, the economy has been transformed since independence, when it was primarily focused on servicing British military bases (EIU 2006ac, 8). Malta is a popular holiday destination and tourism is the nation's main source of income (BBC 2006ag, par. 3). In the early period after independence, emphasis was placed on switching from military to commercial ship repair and shipbuilding, tourism, and industries such as textiles and clothing, exploiting the country’s cheap and flexible labor force (EIU 2006ac, 9).
Military affairs
Military neutrality is enshrined in Malta’s constitution (Ibid., 5).
The MLP has consistently been a strong advocate of neutrality and was responsible for the country’s membership of the Non-Aligned Movement. Despite this, Malta has a bilateral defence agreement with Italy to .guarantee Malta’s neutrality. Following an MLP election victory in 1996, the MLP government discontinued participation in the NATO-sponsored P[fP] framework. (Ibid.)
Foreign policy
In the early 1970s Malta signed an Association Agreement with the European Economic Community (EEC, now EU), dealing largely with trade matters (Ibid.). From the late 1980s, Malta’s bid to join the EU dominated the domestic political debate (Ibid.).
The MLP demonstrated the seriousness of its opposition to membership during a brief spell in power in 1996-98, when it placed Malta’s EU application in abeyance and attempted to negotiate an industrial free-trade agreement in place of proceeding towards membership. Following the reactivation of its EU application in the second half of 1998 on the return to power of the PN, Malta’s diplomatic efforts were concentrated on securing membership in the next wave of enlargement. Accession negotiations started in March 2000 and were completed at the end of 2002. After signing its treaty of accession in April 2003, Malta became an EU member on May 1 2004 along with nine other countries, mostly from central and Eastern Europe. (Ibid.)
Additional variables found after the preliminary analysis:
Climate changes
No record.
Independent negotiations taken by DPKO to seek troops
No record.
Independent negotiations taken by contributor countries to engage non-contributor countries
No record.
Meetings organized by other international organizations to engage in dialogue about peacekeeping
No record.
