Foreign ministers' meeting on Libya visas issue confirmed

The Foreign Ministry confirmed this morning that the foreign ministers of Libya, Italy and Malta will be meeting in Rome today to discuss the issue over visas for travellers going to Libya. The possibility of the meeting being held was first disclosed by the Italian media yesterday.

The meeting will be held between Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini, Libyan Foreign Minister Mousa Kousa and Maltese Foreign Minister Tonio Borg.

Libya two days ago stopped issuing visas to travellers from Schengen area countries in a reaction to a Swiss decision to object to the granting of Schengen visas to some 180 Libyans, including Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi and his family. The Swiss decision meant that Schengen visas could not be issued to these persons by any country which is part of the Schengen Visa System.

Both Italy and Malta have criticised the Swiss decision. Dr Borg and Home Affairs Minister Carm Mifsud Bonnici yesterday sought urgent talks within the EU Councils of Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Home Affairs respectively.

Dr Mifsud Bonnici also wrote directly to his Swiss counterpart, saying that in Malta's view, his country's decision ran counter to the spirit of the Schengen acquis.

"Refusing entry in an instrument to protect our citizens, to protect our national security, and for no other purpose."

See also

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20100216/local/visas-dispute-libya-italian-maltese-ministers-may-meet-tomorrow