Brussels, 31/08/2010 (Agence Europe) - In order to bring a halt to illegal immigration and avoid a “black” Europe, “Libya, supported by Italy, is asking the European Union for at least €5 billion per year,” Libyan leader Muammar al-Gaddafi said on Monday 30 August at a ceremony in Rome, with the President of the Italian Council, Silvio Berlusconi, at his side. It is in Europe's interest to respond to the Libyan demand, otherwise, “in the near future, with the march of millions of immigrants, Europe could become Africa,” Gaddafi stated, at a ceremony celebrating the Italy-Libya Treaty of Friendship signed two years ago to bring an end to old colonial disputes. This treaty provides, inter alia, for the return to Libya of illegal immigrants seeking to reach the coast of Italy and for Italian investment worth $5 billion in colonisation damages, for example, to be used for the 1,700 km long motorway along the Libyan coastline. Berlusconi made no comment on the Libyan demand for aid or on the claim that Italy will take the request to the EU. European Commission spokesman Matthew Newman said that the Commission could not, under any circumstances, comment on the Libyan leader's comments. (B.C./transl.rt)