Libya, Italy and Malta are to hold a meeting in the near future on the delineation of the continental shelf for oil exploration purposes, Foreign Minister Tonio Borg said this morning.

He made the comment after Libyan Foreign Minister Abdurrahman Mohamed Shalgem, who is currently in Malta, said that the problem on the delineation of the maritime border were not directly between Libya and Malta but between Malta, Libya and Italy and Malta, Libya and Tunisia.

Mr Shalgem said Libya was prepared to discuss this issue in detail, including proposed joint oil exploration between Libya and Malta.

He said that other issues which would be discussed in his current visit included a double taxation agreement and illegal migration.

On the former, the minister said an agreement for the avoidance of double taxation was needed so that more Maltese companies could form joint ventures in Libya and benefit from the major infrastructural development programme currently under way there.

Turning to migration, he said Libya had an 'invasion' of migrants and was facing problems which were similar to Malta's. He also mentioned the agreement reached between Italy and Libya on migration as an indicator of how the problem was being tackled.

Mr Shalgem praised the recent visit to Tripoli by President Eddie Fenech Adami, saying it was an important point in bilateral relations.

During his short visit Mr Shalgem is meeting Dr Borg, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi and President Eddie Fenech Adami.