Brussels, 01/03/2004 (Agence Europe) - After his "very warm and friendly" meeting with Colonel Gaddafi in Sirte on 27 February, on the sidelines of the African Union summit, President Prodi said that it was time for Libya to take part fully in the Euro-Mediterranean Barcelona process, by accepting its acquis, and the Libya President replied that his country was ready to start work immediately on joining the process, according to a press release (see also EUROPE of 28 February, p.4).
The Commission spokesperson said on Monday that Romano Prodi warmly welcomed this "historic decision", and that the European Commission would send a "multi-disciplinary explanatory mission" to Libya, made up of experts in fields such as transport, energy, information technology and the environment. The press release states that the Commission will ask the European Investment Bank if it would like to organise a similar mission. The press release notes that the problem of illegal immigration will also have to be discussed with Libya, and that the Commission has invited Libya to sent an explanatory mission to Brussels, to "familiarise themselves with the EU institutions and the Barcelona process".