Cautious optimism over visa row solution

The Foreign Ministry has expressed cautious optimism that a solution to the impasse between Libya and Switzerland over travel visas could be found when both countries meet in Germany tomorrow.

A spokesman said it was positive that Libya and Switzerland were meeting because the two countries had not been talking.

He was speaking yesterday after an urgent meeting in Rome between the foreign ministers of Malta, Italy and Libya.

At the end of the meeting Malta and Italy "urged" Switzerland to remove its blacklist of Libyan nationals who cannot be issued with Schengen visas.

The meeting was held in the wake of Libya's decision to refuse entry to people from Schengen countries in retaliation to the Swiss government's decision to blacklist 186 Libyans, including leader Muammar Gaddafi and members of his family.

Foreign Minister Tonio Borg and Italian counterpart Franco Frattini met with Libyan Foreign Minister Mousa Kousa ahead of his talks with the EU's Spanish presidency today.

Mr Kousa will travel to Germany tomorrow for a meeting with Swiss government representatives.

Mr Frattini was yesterday quoted by Reuters saying that Swiss Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey told him by telephone Switzerland was ready to scrap the travel ban on 186 Libyans provided that Tripoli released two Swiss businessmen detained in 2008.

Libya's decision has left travellers in a conundrum with nine Air Malta passengers yesterday cancelling their travel plans to Tripoli.

Since Monday, 59 Maltese passengers travelling to Libya did not show up or cancelled their reservation because of the visa row, a spokesman for Air Malta said.

A handful of Maltese travellers were turned back over the past few days on arrival in Libya. Only those with a valid residence permit were allowed in.

The Foreign Affairs Ministry reiterated its call for Maltese travellers to consult the Libyan Embassy in Malta before leaving for Tripoli.

The Swiss action means that no Schengen country, which includes Malta, can issue full Schengen visas to the Libyans on the blacklist.

The dispute between Switzerland and Libya dates back to 2008 when Col. Gaddafi's son, Hannibal, and his wife were arrested in Switzerland on charges of mistreating two domestic employees, a case that was later dropped.

Mr Gaddafi launched a court case against the Swiss authorities and a newspaper for publishing a police photo. Libya had responded to the arrest by stopping oil exports to Switzerland, withdrawing financial assets from Swiss accounts and arresting two Swiss businessmen, who are still in Libya.