Italy calls EU to normalize relations with Libya

Italy on Sunday called on its partners in the European Union to initiate normalization of relations with Libya, reported the Kuwaiti news agency KUNA.

Belgian foreign minister, Louis Michel, whose country is currently holding the EU chairmanship, made the remarks during a news conference following an informal EU Foreign ministers meeting in Genval, near here Sunday.

Michel said his Italian counterpart, Renato Ruggiero, informed the ministers about the Libyan leader Muammar Kaddafi's desire to normalize and strengthen ties with the 15-member union.

Ruggiero, who lately met Kaddafi, told colleagues that the Libyan leader was considering ongoing globalization and new world order and wishes to integrate his country in the world trade mechanism, said Michel.

He pointed out that Ruggiero called on his European counterparts to review possibilities of normalizing and improving EU-Libyan ties.