The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Government of National Unity announced an agreement with the Government of Malta to discuss the issue of maritime borders, and to expand these discussions into multilateral talks if they intersect with a third country or more.
The agreement was reached during an official meeting held Wednesday in Valletta between the Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Al-Taher Al-Baour, and Maltese Foreign Minister Ian Borg, as part of an official visit to Valletta at the invitation of the Maltese side.
The Ministry stated on its Facebook page that Al-Baour held a closed bilateral meeting with the Maltese Foreign Minister, later joined by delegations from both countries for extended talks. The discussions covered various aspects of bilateral relations and ways to strengthen and develop them in different fields in the interest of both peoples.
The meeting also reviewed the current political situation in Libya and perspectives on it, as well as urgent issues, foremost among them illegal migration, joint cooperation on border management, coordination between the two countries’ coast guards, and support for development programs to address the root causes of migration.
The Ministry explained that the two sides discussed the maritime border issue and agreed on the importance of addressing aspects that would lead to fruitful cooperation. They emphasized giving priority to bilateral talks, while allowing them to expand into multilateral discussions if a third country or more is involved.
The Ministry also noted that both sides affirmed the importance of continuing political consultations on issues of common interest and exchanging views on the current international situation, especially regarding Ukraine and developments in the Middle East.
For his part, Maltese Foreign Minister Ian Borg stressed the convergence of views between the two countries on these issues, noting Malta’s intention to recognize the State of Palestine during the upcoming session of the UN General Assembly this September.
At the conclusion of the meeting, both sides reaffirmed the importance of supporting the peaceful path to reach consensual solutions that would strengthen stability in Libya, and renewed their commitment to maintaining communication and coordination to enhance bilateral cooperation and serve issues of mutual concern.