The Meaning of Malta

Malta's strategic importance in current world politics can be simply stated: its naval and air bases are valuable but not absolutely essential for Britain and NATO; but if those facilities were taken over by the Soviet Union, the balance of power in the Mediterranean would be drastically altered.

So far as current NATO needs and strictly British interests are concerned, Malta's faCilities are not worth anything, like the $47‐million annual rent that Prime Minister Mintoff demands. But if he decided one day turn the bases over to the U.S.S.R.—something he has sworn he would never do — the Western allies would Surely wish they had made a greater effort to reach accommodation with Mr. Mintoff.

As things stand’ it would require a diplomatic miracle to produce an acceptable agreement for continued British and allied use of Malta—and reports from London yesterday suggested that such a miracle might be in the making. When Mr. Mintoff extended to Jan. 15 his original year‐end deadline for withdrawal of British forces there were hopes that he might be angling for a resumption of talks. Since then, however, he has made a qUick trip to Libya, obviously in the hope of exacting more aid from Colonel’ Qaddafi, and has delivered to Malta's Parliament the bellicose threat that, “if the need arises, we will bring in armed forces froth other countries.”

For its part, Britain will begin today its announced withdrawal of 3,500 servicemen and 7,000 dependents, who together have pumped more than $30 million a year into Malta's economy. The British accuse Mr. Mintoff of attempted blackmail and of defaulting on the agreement reached last September. They have concluded that he would soon find excuses for defaulting on any new agreement that might be negotiated.

They may be right about that; but the long‐run stakes for Britain and the West in the Mediterranean are high enough to warrant fresh efforts to negotiate during the three months that will be required to complete the troop withdrawal.