Update 2 | EU to respond to Malta's challenges, Muscat refutes 'pushback' claims [WATCH]

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat has refuted suggestions that plans to forcibly deport 45 Somali asylum seekers to Libya on Tuesday, were "pushbacks" and that this plan had been botched.

Muscat today hosted a meeting between European Council president Herman van Rompuy and Libyan deputy prime minister Sadiq Abdulkarim Abdulrahman, during which migration talks played a prominent part.

But Muscat insisted that his government had not employed a pushback and that his decision was simply to "not exclude any options" in dealing with escalating numbers of irregular migrants at sea.

"The majority of the country, and I, are concerned about the situation and this should not be mistaken for racism," Muscat said to questions that the botched pushback - stopped by the European Court of Human Rights at the eleventh hour - had sparked a general anxiety over immigration with the general public and on the social media.

"These racists are a minority, and the government does not condone this kind of language," Muscat said.

While EU president Van Rompuy pointed out that Malta was benefiting from an increase of €80 million in migration funds over the last EU budget, Muscat said that Malta was not after a financial "quick-fix" but a long-term solution that deals with the Mediterannean basin.

"Every member states has to comply with international law," Van Rompuy said when quizzed over the pushback attempt. "Generally speaking, we must find solutions that are humane and effective. Europeans stand ready to help Malta, even if financial solidarity is not the ultimate solution. This is why I am here."

The Belgian diplomat, who presides over the European Council of heads of state, said nobody could expect the EU to generate solutions within a matter of days. "I assure you that I will brief the Commission, and we are aware that Malta is confronted with a huge challenge."

Muscat also said talks between EU president Herman van Rompuy and Libyan deputy prime minister Sadiq Abdulkarim Abdulrahman had broken new ground in including the North African state in talks on migration in the Mediterranean.

During talks which also touched upon on energy and eurozone matters, Muscat said that he had conveyed his point of view that Malta could not be left alone as a country and that there was "a sense of abandonment" by the EU on the migration burden.

"We have been assured by President van Rompuy that European does not want to leave us alone," Muscat said.

"I think we have managed to break new ground in seeking a long-term solution. President Van Rompuy set the ball rolling for developments that can be achieved in the next few months. We're not there yet, there is plenty of work to do... Malta will be working as a facilitator for Libya in the EU. Libya is not part of the problem, it has to be part of the solution," the prime minister said.

Muscat also "apologised" for his "British sense of humour" after a Swedish journalist asked him to explain why European Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom should take the migrants to her native country in Sweden. In a separate conference a few days ago, Muscat reacted harshly when asked by the press over Malmstrom's comments that migrant arrivals in Malta were not "alarming".

"I must apologise for my British sense of humour. But the Commissioner was wrong. We know she is doing her job, but we don't expect her to diminish these numbers," he said.

On his part, Van Rompuy acknowledged that Malta was receiving the highest number of asylum claims per 000s of population, and that it took on a particular burden as the first point of entry to migrants departing from Libya.

But, he pointed out, Malta was also financially receiving €80 million more in migration funds from the new European Union budget.

Libyan deputy prime minister Sadiq Abdulkarim Abdulrahman was in Malta to meet Van Rompuy after Malta offered to host talks between the EU and Libya in Malta.

Van Rompuy arrived in Malta today for a four-hour visit, just days after Malta's unsuccessful attempt at pushing back 45 Somali migrants to Libya, after this was thwarted by the European Court of Human Rights.

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat revealed last week that he had called Van Rompuy to give him notice of Malta's demands for EU assistance on migration, and that he would be ready to use his veto in the Council of Ministers to force his agenda.