Brussels, 07/05/2009 (Agence Europe) - The Italian navy was authorised to enter the port of Tripoli in Libya on Thursday 7 May, to return 227 illegal immigrants whom it had picked up in distress off the coast of Libya on Wednesday, Italian authorities have announced. This is first time that Libya has made such a gesture. Italian Home Affairs Minister Roberto Maroni said that this was “a historic day in tackling illegal immigration”. Immediate repatriation of migrants intercepted off the Libyan coast “may be a turning point” in combating this problem, he told TV channel Canale 5. He also expressed the hope that joint Italian-Libyan sea patrols could begin “in the next few days”. The agreement between Italy and Libya signed in August 2008 provides for such patrols to begin on 15 May. (B.C./transl.rt)