Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said Thursday that he was sure Libya would ''honour'' an agreement with Italy addressing illegal immigration but stressed that a joint effort from both countries was required.
The minister said the friendship and cooperation accord signed by Libya and Italy on August 30 foresaw collaboration to protect Libya's desert borders via a satellite system and patrols.
''Libya has almost 2,000 kilometres of border in the middle of the desert. If we don't help to protect that way in', it's rather difficult for Libya to block its northern Mediterranean border,'' Frattini said, referring to the fact that migrants from other African countries make their way through Libya to reach the coast before crossing in boats to Italy.
Another agreement signed by the previous government with Libya established joint patrols of the Mediterranean coast, but these have yet to get under way.
''I'm certain that Libya will want to honour this agreement now that we have committed to helping better protect its southern border,'' Frattini said.
The minister added that negotiations were still ongoing about 3.5 billion euros of damages claimed by Italians who were repatriated by Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi in 1970, including Italian companies that were shut down.
