Borg requests urgent EU talks on Libya visas dispute

Foreign Minister Tonio Borg has requested an urgent discussion within the EU's General Affairs and External Relations Council on Libya's decision to withdraw visas for travellers from Schengen countries.

The request was made in a letter to the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Catherine Ashton.

Dr Borg said the issue should be discussed during the council's meeting on Monday.

Libya has banned entry to citizens of Schengen countries except those holding residence permits, in an escalation of a dispute with Switzerland. Several Maltese were among those turned back, after waiting at Tripoli hours for hours (see separate story).

Dr Borg yesterday also contacted Libyan Foreign Minister Obeidi over the issue.

TIMELINE-Events in Libya's row with Switzerland

Following is a timeline of events in the diplomatic spat between Libya and Switzerland:

July 15, 2008 - About 20 police enter a luxury hotel in the Swiss city of Geneva where a son of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi is staying. They arrest Hannibal Gaddafi and his pregnant wife on charges of mistreating two domestic employees.

-- The couple deny the charges and leave the country after posting bail. Days later, OPEC member Libya announces that it is halting oil exports to Switzerland and two Swiss businessmen working in Libya, Max Goeldi and Rachid Hamdani, are barred from leaving the North African country.

Sept. 3, 2008 -- Geneva prosecutors drop their case against Hannibal Gaddafi and his wife after the plaintiffs, a Tunisian woman and a Moroccan man, withdraw their formal complaint.

Aug. 20, 2009 -- Swiss President Hans-Rudolf Merz visits Tripoli and apologises for Hannibal Gaddafi's brief arrest. After Merz's visit, a Swiss government Falcon aircraft waits several days in Tripoli to fly Goeldi and Hamdani back home. It leaves without them after the Libyan authorities do not give the two men clearance to leave.

Nov. 12 -- The Libyan Foreign Ministry says Goeldi and Hamdani will be tried for visa irregularities and failing to respect rules set out for companies working in Libya. A ministry official said the charges were "totally separate" from the diplomatic row over Hannibal Gaddafi's arrest.

Dec. 1 -- A court in Tripoli finds both Goeldi and Hamdani guilty of visa irregularities and sentences them to 16 months in prison. They are staying at the Swiss embassy in Tripoli and do not attend the trial. Lawyers for both men appeal the decision.

Dec. 2 -- A Libyan official says Goeldi and Hamdani will face a second trial on separate charges of violating business rules.

Jan. 31, 2010 -- A Libyan court hearing Hamdani's appeal against his conviction for visa irregularities overturns the earlier decision and finds him not guilty.

Feb. 6 -- A judge finds Goeldi guilty of violating business rules and fines him 1,000 dinars ($800).

Feb. 7 -- A court finds Hamdani not guilty of violating business rules. His lawyer says that unless prosecutors appeal the verdict, Hamdani is free to go home.

Feb. 11 - Goeldi's 16-month prison sentence for visa violations is reduced on appeal to four months, his lawyer says. He says he is hopeful the Prosecutor General would decide to waive the sentence altogether.

Feb. 14 - A Libyan newspaper reports that the country will take "severe measures" in retaliation to Switzerland denying entry visas to a list of 188 Libyans, including Gaddafi, members of his family and other senior officials

Feb. 15 - Libya suspends visas for the Schengen area -- 25 European countries, including some which, like Switzerland are not in the EU and Britain, Ireland, Romania, Bulgaria and Cyprus which are not in Schengen.