Neighbourly relations

With reference to the editorial in The Times of July 27, entitled Malta-Libya: Time to Clear the Air, Simon Busuttil, along with other EU MEPs, visited Libya some months ago to discuss illegal immigration.

Upon his return to Malta, Dr Busuttil was quoted thus: "...Libya needs incentives (in order to co-operate) on illegal immigration". At the time, this statement was viewed as the result of posturing by the Libyans. Dr Busuttil may have been an expert on matters pertaining to EU regulations and policy, but the Libyans may have played on his naivete when it came to presenting their views and approach to the illegal immigration problem.

I now conclude that Dr Busuttil may have been grossly misquoted by the local media. What he really must have said was that Libya needed prodding!