Libya non-committal on repatriation agreement

Illegal immigration featured high on the agenda of meetings held between a Labour Party delegation and Libyan foreign ministry officials in Tripoli over the last few days.

However, the north African state remains non-committal in regard to a repatriation agreement with Malta such as the one it has with Italy, according to MLP deputy leader Michael Falzon, who led the party delegation.

Dr Falzon was speaking during a press conference alongside other MLP delegation members - international secretary Joe Mifsud, foreign affairs spokesman Leo Brincat and agriculture spokesman Noel Farrugia.

When asked whether the delegation had brought up the possibility of a repatriation agreement - given that Labour agrees with the government on the need to seek such an agreement - Dr Falzon said Libya emphasised that it had its own problems, highlighting that some two million immigrants are thought to live in Libya.

"There was no commitment but Libya is ready to continue discussions on an international level," Dr Falzon said.

Both Libyan Foreign Affairs Secretary Suleiman al-Shahoumi and the Assistant for Foreign Liaison Said Arabi Hafiana emphasised that rather than a bilateral agreement, Libya wanted an international solution and one that addressed the root of the problem - sub-Saharan poverty.

The Labour delegation made the point that Malta was looking for short-term solutions along with long-term ones such as development aid for Sub-Saharan Africa.

Libya is expecting the EU to commit itself to development aid goals but will also be launching an appeal for African oil-producing countries to chip in.

Oil prices were also discussed. Libya reiterated that it would be ready to start negotiating an agreement such as the one that was in place between the two countries in the past. Again, there was no commitment, Mr Falzon said when asked, adding however that the delegation was obviously not in a position to reach any arrangement.

"That would be the government's job. Labour, however, made it clear that it will not be a Eurocentric government focused only on its relationship with the EU but will also seek the best possible ties with countries in the whole of the Mediterranean region," Mr Brincat said.