国际英语新闻:Italy to strenghten relations with Libya: PM

ROME, July 4 (Xinhua) -- Italy is aiming to relaunch its economic partnership with Libya in various sectors, Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta said on Thursday after meeting his Libyan counterpart in Rome.

"Italy and Libya are strategic economic partners... Today's meeting confirmed that we can trust each other and we can do a great job together," Letta told a joint press conference following talks with Lybian Prime Minister Ali Zeidan.

Letta said the energy issue was fundamental for Italy and "good cooperation will surely bring very important results."

The Italian prime minister also announced that the two leaders agreed on "a conference on assistance to Libya" to be held in Rome by the end of this year, adding that the stabilization of Libyan institutions is vital for Mediterranean nations.

"We aim at increasing visits and contacts to implement all the bilateral agreements already signed, encourage new steps and undertake new projects," Zeidan said.

A long history of relations between the two countries has made Italy Libya's top economic and trading partner, and the "enormous" cooperation opportunities in various fields will be further explored through more "sectorial meetings," he said.

The two leaders also discussed means by which to boost moves against illegal immigration fluxes across the Mediterranean, as well as issues of security cooperation.

Security cooperation includes Italy's supply of "equipment of vehicles and light arms to allow the Libyan public security forces to resume their work" as well as training of the Libyan armed forces and police, which will start early in the next weeks with the formation of 5,000 units, he said.

According to calculations of the Italian government, the value of trade between Italy and Libya in 2010 was nearly 15 billion euros (about 19 billion U.S. dollars). This figure fell by around 70 percent in 2011.

Italy mainly exports refined oil products, finished goods, equipment and technical installations to Libya and imports crude oil, natural gas and chemicals.