Libyan, Italian Leaders Discuss Illegal Immigration, Bilateral Relations

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi held talks Friday with the Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi in Tripoli to strengthen the bilateral relations between Libya and Italy and to discuss issues of concern to both countries.

Official sources reported that Berlusconi’s visit to Libya is the first one outside the European Union since his re-election in April and aims to consolidate the agreement signed between Libya and Italy last year relating to fighting illegal immigration and to cooperating in common patrols along the coast.

The talks between Qaddafi and Berlusconi which were held in Syrt 500 km east of Tripoli also focused on the Mediterranean union project proposed by the French president Nicolas Sarkozi. In this regard Qaddafi affirmed that the project is a repetition of the Barcelona process and as such, it would not achieve the goals that countries of the Mediterranean aspire.

During the few hours of meeting between the two, they discussed the issue of illegal immigration and the flow of thousands of migrants from African countries to Libya and cross the Mediterranean to Italian islands and shores.

Italy is considered Libya’s main trading partner in Europe and seeks through its companies to play a big role in Libya’s infrastructural projects.

However, as a former Italian colony, Libya has been claiming compensation from Italy for its colonial occupation of the country.

Source African Press Agency

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