The Italian Under Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Alfredo Mantica, said last night that a policy priority for Italy in its relations with Libya is to update migration provisions in a friendship treaty signed in 2008.

"The first duty of Italy will be to update the part (of the treaty) relating to migration  as soon as the situation in Libya has stabilized, he told Italian news agency ANSA.

He said that Italy wants to see Libya set up refugee centres which are up to international standards, and generally improve the situation for third country nationals so that they do not feel the need to migrate.

Italy would also like to see stricter border controls.

Italian Defence Minister Ignazio La Russa also said  that the Italian-Libyan friendship treaty signed should be revived once a new government takes power in Libya.  The head of the Libyan National Transitional Council, Mustafa Abdel Jalil, has already said that the treaty will be respected.

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