Brussels, 23/02/2010 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 23 February, speaking through a spokesperson, the EU said it still hoped to reach a diplomatic solution to the spat between Libya, Switzerland and to a larger extent the Schengen Area countries (EUROPE 10083). The situation, however, seems to be improving since the two Swiss businessmen retained in Libya for the past 19 months - as a retaliatory measure to the detention in Geneva of Hannibal Kadhafi - left the Swiss Embassy on Monday where they had taken shelter. One of the detainees left Libyan territory and is said to be safely in Tunisia, while the other was taken to a Libyan prison to purge a 4 month prison sentence. Switzerland hopes to be able to get him out of there as quickly as possible. Another problem is that of Libyan visas that have not been issued to nationals of Schengen Area countries since 14 February due to the Schengen visa restriction policy conducted by Bern against 186 senior Libyan dignitaries, persona non grata in Switzerland. Bern is said to have undertaken to lift visa restrictions on the Libyans in exchange for the release of the two Swiss hostages. Negotiations continue. The home ministers of the Schengen Area countries are expected to tackle the question of visas as soon as they return to Brussels on Thursday. (B.C./transl.jl)