French President Francois Hollande, Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti and Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy are due to hold a meeting on the sidelines of the 5+5 conference in Malta on Friday afternoon, according to international media reports.

The 5+5 conference will group heads of government from the five European and N.African countries bordering the West Mediterranean.

The European leaders' meeting is expected to focus on the financial situation of their countries. Both France and Spain have just unveiled tough austerity measures while Sig Monti took similar action soon after his appointment.

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