Malta
will continue to support international action seeking to peacefully promote
democratic legitimacy of leaders, respect for the rule of law, good governance
and the respect of human rights. The creation of a world-wide culture of free
and fair elections allowing people to express their will and elect their
leader/s is a corollary of the fundamental freedoms of the individual and of the
nation.
Election monitoring is a contribution, on the ground, to
legitimacy to governance which reflects the popular will. Malta has a
substantive contribution to make to the international community in this field.
Malta will seek to expand its participation in election monitoring missions
worldwide with a special focus on the Mediterranean region, in particular in the
execution of missions of the European Union, the Organisation for Security and
Cooperation in Europe, the Council of Europe, the United Nations and other
international organisations.
Longer term, and in line with the Strategic Objectives of
Malta's Foreign Policy to promote Malta as an international Centre of dialogue
and scholarship (see objective 12), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will seek to
create a centre of excellence for the training of election monitors, expanding
on the training of diplomats for the Mediterranean region which has been taking
place in Malta incollaboration with the Swiss government, and in cooperation
with the European Union for many years.