Libya’s Prime Minister Abdullah al Thinni, his deputy and four ministers have just arrived in Malta for a series of meetings with the Maltese government over the next three days.

Mr Al Thinni, accompanied by a delegation of about 15 people landed at about 5pm after flying in aboard a private jet.

Their visit was disclosed to the press by the Office of the Prime Minister in the morning but they asked for a media blackout for security reasons.

A spokesman for the Prime Minister said the visit was requested by the Libyans.

The OPM said European governments, which have been informed informally about the trip, showed significant interest in the visit. The Opposition was informed of the visit yesterday evening and the Prime Minister Joseph Muscat spoke to PN leader Simon Busuttil about it.

Despite representing the government recognised by the international community, Mr Al Thinni’s cabinet and the parliament that appointed it have lost control over the capital, Tripoli and the second largest city Benghazi on top of other important territory.

Disparate Islamist groups and militias from Misurata - broadly united under the banner of Operation Dawn – rejected the results of the general elections in July and coalesced to push the government out of the capital Tripoli and instead installed a parallel administration.

The delegation currently in Malta includes Deputy Prime Minister Abdel Salam al-Badri, Foreign Affairs Minister, Mohammed Al Dayri, Economy Minister Manbar Asr, Education Minister Fathi al Magbari and Information MinisterOmar Alqoira.

At the briefing, the OPM also took questions about the mayor of Tripoli, Mahdi al Harati, who was recently in Malta. The spokesman said Mr al Harati was not in Malta anymore.

However, he clarified that Mr Harati had travelled to Malta as a private citizen with his Irish passport – he lived in Ireland for 20 years.