Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi today is expected to have his first official meeting with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi since the latter won the country's general election last April.

Dr Gonzi will be meeting Mr Berlusconi at Palazzo Chigi, the office of the Italian Prime Minister, at about 1 p.m.

Following the meeting, expected to last about an hour, Dr Gonzi and Mr Berlusconi will address Maltese and Italian journalists in a joint news conference.

The two Prime Ministers are expected to discuss issues related to the situation in the European Union, but talks will most probably revolve around irregular immigration, which is affecting Malta more than other countries in the Mediterranean although Italy's Lampedusa is faced by the same problems.

They will almost certainly discuss the repatriation agreement signed by Italy with Libya that facilitates the return of irregular immigrants to Libya, from where most of them depart. Malta will probably seek Italy's assistance for the island to have a similar agreement.

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