Libya's new regime unsure over treaty

Libya has expressed reservations about some points in a 2008 treaty of friendship with Italy, signed by the late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi and former Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi, Libyan deputy foreign minister, Mohammed Abdel Aziz announced on Tuesday. He said during a meeting with the head of the Mediterranean and the Middle East desk in Italy's foreign ministry, Domenico Giorgi, in Tripoli “The vision of the new Libya is different from the previous regime when it comes to cooperation with Italy.” Libya "has reservations on some points included in the treaty which need to be looked at again by the two countries," he added. He also pointed out that, the head of the Libyan National Transitional Council (NTC) Mustafa Abdel Jalil, will visit Rome on December 15 to discuss the details of the treaty with Italian authorities. Moreover, Abdul Aziz admitted that there are problems with Italy relating to fishing, but he stressed that the Italians are ready to cooperate and reach an agreement in this issue. Italian former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi signed the Treaty on Friendship, Partnership and Cooperation between Italy and Libya with Gaddafi in 2008. The treaty sought to provide symbolic closure to disputes that date back to Italy’s invasion of Libya in the early-20th century. And it included a package of investment promises and foreign aid in the form of “reparations”—a pledge to work towards partnership on defense-industry projects and collaboration in the fight against illegal immigration. On the cultural side, the treaty included Rome’s obligation to award scholarships for Libyan students who want to study in Italy.