Foreign Minister Tonio Borg is on his way to Tripoli where he will have talks with his Libyan counterpart Mousa Kousa.

A Foreign Ministry spokesman said the talks would focus on a friendship and cooperation agreement between the two countries.

He said that bilateral relations had improved considerably since the Shengen dispute between Libya and Switzerland, in which Malta was involved.

Mr Kousa was in Malta last year, when he announced that Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi would visit Malta. No date has been fixed yet, although the new Libyan ambassador said recently that the visit is still on the cards.

However, Malta is due to host a summit meeting of the 5+5 Western Mediterranean Forum early next year. Among those expected to attend are Col Gaddafi, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Italia Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.