Some years before and after the independence of Malta from Britain , the Socialist and Nationalist anti-Western president Dominic Mintoff ruled Malta. He alinged himself with Gadaffi for some time until a fallout and had leanings towards the Soviet Union, too. What if he "invites" the Soviets to set up bases in Malta and further goes into the Socialist camp ? Could there be a Mediterranian Cuba situation ( the Soviets had a base in Latakia, too) so there would be a strategic value for them) ? Or would they have learned from the Cuba crisis and this is ASB ?