A new era of ‘friendship and cooperation’ across Mediterranean
MELLITAH, Libya: Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and Libyan leader Moammer Gaddafi opened a gas pipeline between their countries here on Thursday, calling it a new era of “friendship and cooperation” across the Mediterranean.
The two leaders inaugurated the 540km West Libyan Gas pipeline at Mellita.
“The date of October 7 used to remind the Libyan people of the launch of the Italian invasion in 1911 and the evacuation of the Italians in 1970,” Gaddafi, wearing a bedouin robe, said in a speech at the ceremony under a tent.
“We now want to make it a day of friendship and cooperation between Libya and Italy, a cooperation which has been cemented by the gas project which we are inaugurating today,” he said.
“Today, a new era of rapprochement and cooperation starts between out two peoples thanks to this project which will supply Italy with 10 per cent of its energy needs,” said Berlusconi.
The project, started in 2003, has been built by Italian oil groups ENI and Agip in partnership with Libya’s state oil company NOC. It will carry some 10 billion cubic metres of gas a year from Mellitah on Libya’s west coast to Gela in Sicily and then on into southern Europe.
Fuad Al Kreikshi, president of EN Libya, said the total investment on what he called the longest gas pipeline under the Mediterranean amounted to $6.6 billion.
According to ENI, it is also the world’s deepest underground gas pipeline passing east of Malta at a depth of 1,127 metres.
Revenues are projected at “$20 billion over 20 years”, Kreikshi said.
In his speech, Gaddafi, who has been in power ever since 1969, also announced that Libya would allow the return of Italians who had been expelled by his regime in 1970.
“Our friend Berlusconi ... made a modest request to the Libyan people ... to allow the elderly Italians who colonised Libya and were expelled on October 7, 1970 to come and visit Libya,” said Colonel Gaddafi.
“I call on the Libyan people to accept this request ... And those who want to come and work in Libya can do so,” he said.
Almost 20,000 Italians born in Libya were expelled 34 years ago and had all their possessions seized, according to Giovanna Ortu, president of an association for Italians repatriated from the north African country.
Gas exports are at the heart of an opening up of Libya’s economy, as the former pariah state returns to the international fold after its public renunciation last year of weapons of mass destruction programmes.
Gaddafi thanked Italy for its role in lifting an EU arms embargo which has been in force against Libya since 1986, a move which due to be confirmed by European Union foreign ministers in Luxembourg on October 11 or 12.
Rome pressed its EU partners to lift the embargo to allow Libya to beef up its border controls with patrol boats, all-terrain vehicles and surveillance equipment to combat illegal immigration to Europe via Italy.
Berlusconi held talks with Gaddafi before the pipeline ceremony, but there were no details of their meeting before the Italian premier was to fly home late on Thursday.
The talks were expected to be dominated by the pressing issue of would-be immigrants heading for southern Europe.
Rome has identified Libya as being the main launchpad for crossings by sub-Saharan and north African migrants trying to reach Europe via Italy, and has been pressing Tripoli for more than a year to take action. – AFP


photo: Libyan leader Moammar Gaddafi and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi at Mellitah gas refinery during the inauguration of a multibillion-dollar natural gas pipeline linking their two countries beneath the Mediterranean yesterday. – AP
Last update on: 9-10-2004