Updated | Gonzi, Libyan prime minister discuss energy and migration

Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi was in Tripoli today to meet with Prime Minister Ali Zeidan.

Gonzi is accompanied by a ministerial delegation on his five-hour visit to the North African neighbour. His delegation includes defence attaché Vanessa Frazier, and finance minister Tonio Fenech.

Gonzi said the short visit was intended to strengthen the good relationship that exists between Malta and Libya.

On his part, Zeidan said Malta was a "friend" and Libya's closest neighbour. "I want this relationship to continue," Zeidan said, highlighting the countries' shared concernson political, economic, educational, and security matters, as well as irregular immigration and the problem of sea borders.

Both sides talked about possible collaboration in education and training, and also Libya's frozen assets still held in Malta. Malta had immediately frozen all assets belonging to the Gaddafi regime upon sanctions being ordered by the United Nations. "After the collapse of the regime I personally called for the unfreezing of the assets. We will release the assets as soon as the United Nations allows us to do so," Gonzi said.

Gonzi said the two countries will revise the existing Treaty of Friendship, and that more discussions will focus on resolving the pending continental shelf dispute between the two sides.

"We also hope to discuss future energy matters... Libya is a supplier of oil and gas and the Maltese government is working on diversifying its sources of energy. We intend to continue discussing with Libya on this issue."

On his part, the Libyan Prime Minister said that Libya would do its "best", within its "limits and possibilities" to help Malta diversify its energy sources.

Zeidan said Libya would take "all necessary procedures to limit or stop" irregular migration from Libya "within the framework of developing our security for the monitoring of our borders. We are serious on this subject and arrangements have already started since we took office. We will cooperate with Maltese authorities."

Zeidan called for more help from the EU in sharing information on criminal networks' movement and to deal with the push factors leading to migration into the EU.