Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi was taken on a tour of the war-ravaged streets of Misurata this afternoon after meeting Libyan Prime Minister Abdurrahim El-Keib in Tripoli.
The port city of Misurata was besieged by Libyan forces for several weeks during the uprising against Col Gaddafi and saw some of the fiercest fighting in the six-month Libyan uprising.
The damage was plain to see as Dr Gonzi and his delegation were driven through the main streets, lined with bombed buildings and burnt-out cars.
Malta had provided a lifeline to Misurata during the siege, with several ships carrying humanitarian aid having left from Malta and slipped into Misurata harbour, from where they then ferried injuried Libyans and journalists.
The Maltese delegation was given a warm welcome by the city council when it arrived in the city this afternoon. Dr Gonzi's first stop was to a makeshift museum where pictures of all those who were killed in the conflict are on display.
Earlier, Prime Minister El-Keib and Dr Gonzi addressed a joint press conference during which the Libyan PM called on Malta to help Libya recover funds which were frozen when the United Nations imposed sanctions at the height of the uprising.
Speaking following a meeting of more than an hour with Prime Minister Gonzi, the new Libyan premier said his country would not allow illegal immigration to be used as political pressure, as was done in the past, but, he stressed, the Libyan government needed its funds to be unfrozen as quickly as possible.
The issue about the frozen assets was mentioned repeatedly by Mr El-Keip in a press conference after the meeting, although he acknowledged that Malta is working towards this end.
Dr Gonzi said that during their meeting, the two prime ministers had agreed to draw up a roadmap of common interest issues which they will discuss. These will include immigration, regional stability, fishing rights, pollution and the delineation of the continental shelf (for oil exploration purposes).
Dr Gonzi reiterated Malta's commitment to help Libya on the road to democracy, including its efforts to get its own money back.
The Libyan prime minister said he was looking forward to a new relationship with Malta.
Following their meeting, the two leaders had a working lunch.
Earlier, Dr Gonzi was warmly welcomed in the Libyan prime minister's office by the two Libyan pilots who were sheltered in Malta after defecting with their Mirage fighters instead of bombing their countrymen.
They also attended the meeting and were present for the lunch.
In the morning, Finance Minister Tonio Fenech had separate meetings with the Libyan ministers for industry and trade during which they discussed trade and investment relations, pending payments to Maltese businesses and Maltese involvement in the rebuilding of Libya.
Dr Gonzi is also accompanied by Foreign Minister Tonio Borg, who, at the height of the uprising, had visited Benghazi for talks with the Nation Transitional Council.