[WATCH] Vella insists Malta 'very cautious' on Libyans allowed entry

Malta is proceeding "very cautiously" on the issue of Libyans allowed to enter the country and is properly scrutinizing their visas, foreign minister George Vella said.

"While the number of traditional asylum seekers arriving to Malta by boat has decreased, we have witnessed a sharp increase in Libyan migrants arriving to Malta legally and claiming asylum here," Vella told a press conference following a meeting with Italian foreign minister Paolo Gentiloni.

"Malta is ready to shoulder its shoulder international responsibilities to the best of its abilities, and do so in a humane manner." 

Discussions between the two ministers focused on trade, migration and the regional threat posed by the presence of ISIS in Libya.

Vella warned that the situation is "urgent" and that action must be taken before the Libyan branch of ISIS is allowed to branch eastwards into Tunisia or southwards into central Africa.

"We cannot afford to allow the situation to become more complex without taking action," he said.

However, Gentiloni urged caution on over-involvement by the international community in trying to reach a solution to the civil war, insisting that a "Libyan ownership of the crisis" remains key.

"The international community should help out on issues related to economy, security and institution building, but the Libyan ownership process is absolutely key," he said.

"No countries are more interested in Libyan stability than Italy and Malta, but the best way to defeat the terrorist threat in the country is through a united Libyan government."