Malta would remain close to the Libyan people, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat pledged yesterday, hours after the dramatic kidnapping of the Libyan premier in Tripoli.

Ali Zeidan returned under armed escort to the Corinthia Hotel, from where he was seized in the early hours of the morning. Just before Mr Zeidan’s release, Dr Muscat said he was very concerned about the situation.

Libya’s volatile political scene, he added, was being closely monitored by Malta’s Government.

“Personally, I am very worried about my friend, Prime Minister Zeidan, and we were in contact with the Libyan authorities this morning, as we have been in the past days,” he said.

Dr Muscat referred to conflicting messages coming from Libya and appealed for stability and reason.

“I feel we have to be very cautious in our comments,” he said. “What is certain is that the position of Malta will be that of remaining close to the Libyan people.”

When things like these happen, you worry that it will all get out of hand

Mr Zeidan was taken from his room at 4am by armed men, who escorted him from the Corinthia and held him captive. Corinthia Group director Reuben Xuereb said that there were no accidents and other hotel guests knew nothing.

Libyan television showed Mr Zeidan returning to his Tripoli office at about 12.30pm wearing a business suit and flanked by dozens of soldiers in red berets.

His staff cheered as he went inside but he did not stop to talk to journalists.

Militia units who had taken charge of security outside the Corinthia in the morning withdrew following Mr Zeidan’s return and police units in red and white jeeps were again deployed around the entrance.

The media reported a tense atmosphere at the hotel with dozens of policemen, army officers and pro-Zeidan militias clustered at the entrance with machine guns and rocket launchers.

Inside, guests could be seen standing around the lobby looking out.

A Corinthia spokesman said the Tripoli hotel was operating normally and the building was not evacuated, adding that the company was keeping a close watch on the unfolding events.

“This is a very delicate moment, the country has come out of a revolution and it needs time to settle down,” he said.

The Maltese business community in Libya also expressed concern following the news of the kidnapping.

The situation in Libya is still very volatile

“This took us very much by surprise. Although the situation was volatile, we never expected the Prime Minister to be abducted. This creates a great amount of instability,” said one businessman.

Although the situation seemed to be calm on the ground, he added, the short-term outlook was very fluid.

“When things like this happen, you worry that it will all get out of hand and it does cross your mind to pull out,” he said.

Economy Minister Chris Cardona has condemned the kidnapping and welcomed Mr Zeidan’s release.

“Any threat to democracy and of violence will never be condoned by the Maltese government,” he told Times of Malta.

Foreign Minister George Vella said: “I hope these things will be solved in a diplomatic manner with the least damage possible to Libya and the Libyan people. The situation is still very volatile.”

It is still unclear who kidnapped Mr Zeidan. Hashim Bishar, head of the Tripoli Supreme Security Committee, the government’s gendarmerie, claimed he was captured by an unidentified group and then released by Tripoli militias.

“Our revolutionaries went to the place where he was being detained and demanded he be handed over. He was handed over. Now he is safe,” he told a Libyan TV station. He did not specify who the kidnappers were.

What happens to the oil deal?

Last month, the Maltese Government struck a deal with Libya to buy its oil and other energy products at preferential rates. Prime Minister Joseph Muscat described the memorandum of understanding as “groundbreaking”.

It provides for Libya to supply Malta with crude and refined oil, jet fuel and LPG at preferential rates.

The agreement, the Prime Minister had said, would begin as soon as Libya resumed normal production.

When asked about the deal’s status, given yesterday’s events, Dr Muscat said: “The last thing on my mind is the memorandum of understanding. Our concern is the stability in our region.”