Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi would visit Malta in March, Foreign Minister Mousa Kousa said yesterday.
The Libyan minister was speaking at a press conference with his counterpart, Tonio Borg following the 26th meeting of the Malta-Libya joint commission.
The last time Col Gaddafi visited Malta was in the mid-1980s. President George Abela extended an invitation for the Libyan leader to visit the island during a state visit to Tripoli last September.
Talks held during commission meetings over the past two days touched a range of issues, including investment, education, illegal immigration and health.
Although no formal agreements were reached, Dr Borg and Mr Kousa signed the minutes of the meetings, held on an annual basis to maintain an ongoing dialogue between the two countries.
Asked about talks on the possibility of joint oil exploration in disputed offshore areas, Dr Borg said the file on the matter was "active" but refrained from giving any details.
"Tripartite talks between Malta, Libya and Italy on joint oil exploration in contested areas are ongoing on the basis of a framework presented by Malta. The file is active, not dead," Dr Borg said.
Both ministers expressed satisfaction at the progress made through the nomination of Libyan and Maltese liaison officers in relation to drug trafficking and organised crime.
Later in the afternoon, Mr Kousa had a brief meeting with Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi at Castille.
Journalists were only allowed in for the first few minutes of the meeting during which Mr Kousa said Libya was grateful for the advance warning Malta had given Libya in 1986 when US airplanes bombed Col Gaddafi's residence.
Then Prime Minister Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici had informed the Libyan authorities that US military planes had passed through Maltese air space and were heading towards Libya.
The warning gave the Libyan leader time to escape the attack unharmed.
Dr Gonzi welcomed the announcement of Col Gaddafi's visit and insisted it was important for both countries to maintain good relations.