On the first day of the President’s Official Visit to Libya, bilateral and international affairs were discussed during over-two-hour cordial talks with Leader Col. Muammar Al Gaddafi soon on his arrival in Tripoli. Both leaders spoke about the long standing relations between Libya and Malta. A special emphasis was placed on furthering commercial and financial cooperation.  

The President was accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister Tonio Borg and Minister John Dalli, while the Libyan Leader was accompanied by Dr Baghdadi Ali Mahmoudi, Secretary of the General People’s Committee and by Mr Abdul Rahman Shalgan, Minister for Foreign Affairs.

In the afternoon The President visited the Embassy of Malta in Tripoli where he informed the media that various bilateral areas of co-operation were discussed with Col Gaddafi and later with the Dr Baghdadi Ali Mahmoudi, Secretary of the General People’s Committee and by Mr Abdul Rahman Shalgan, Minister for Foreign Affairs.

Both sides agreed at the two meetings, to complete ongoing negotiations in the shortest possible time in order to further enhance the co-operation between the two countries.  Agreement was reached to further talks in three areas of interest to both countries: maritime delimitation in connection with oil exploration, delimitation of  fishing zones and irregular migration. 

The Hon. Tonio Borg said that both countries agreed to co-operate on search and rescue training including exchanges of personnel. In the near future a visit by Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi is envisaged to take place. Minister Borg said that the Minister of Foreign Affairs has accepted an invitation to visit Malta for trilateral meeting with Italian Minister Franco Frattini  and with Minister Borg on irregular migration.

Tomorrow, Thursday a memorandum of understanding on Co-operation in the fields of Medical Services and Public Health will be signed by Minister John Dalli and the Libyan Minister of Health. 

On arrival late morning Wednesday, President Eddie Fenech Adami was welcomed by Major General Mostafa Muhammed El Kharrubi and by The Hon Moftah Muhammed Ka’Eba,, Secretary of the General People’s Congress at an official welcome ceremony at Tripoli International Airport.