Brussels, 18/03/2010 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 17 March, the European Commission urged the Swiss authorities to resolve its spat with Libya in order to prevent division within the Schengen area. Internal Affairs Commissioner Cecilia Malmström discussed the matter with Swiss Justice Minister Eveline Widmer Schlumpf in an effort to settle the matter. According to Michele Cercone, who is spokesman for Malmström, the commissioner called on Switzerland to “act rapidly and efficiently to put an end to the bilateral dispute, which risks jeopardising the coherence of the entire Schengen system”. Cercone added that the European Commission “expects the two sides to find a solution as soon as possible”, pointing out that the Commission condemns the “unilateral and disproportionate” decision by Libya to suspend visa issuance to nationals of the Schengen countries. The spokesman did not, however, give details of what the Commission is demanding of the Swiss authorities. Swiss press reports state that the Commission has called on Bern to remove the names of certain top Libyan nationals from the blacklist of persons concerned by the visa ban in Schengen area countries. A diplomatic row has been raging for some weeks now between Switzerland and Libya since the arrest in Geneva, in 2008, of the son of a Libyan leader. In retaliation to this, Libya arrested two Swiss businessmen, one of whom is still held in prison. Switzerland, for its part, has put 188 well-known Libyan figures, including Libyan President Mouammar Kadhafi, on its blacklist of people who cannot obtain visas for entry to the Schengen area. Libya, therefore, has suspended visa issuance to all nationals of the Schengen area. Given the fact that talks with a view to overcoming the crisis are deadlocked, Italy and Malta have entered the fray proposing solutions to circumvent the Swiss visa ban (EUROPE 10099). Rome has expressed the wish for the Libyan dossier to be tabled by foreign ministers next Monday in Brussels. (B.C./transl.jl)