Tunisian, Libyan relations consolidating

Tunisian Prime Minister Hamid Karoui on Wednesday concluded a one-day official visit to Libya. He met with Libyan President Moammar Gaddafi and delivered a message from Tunisian President Zein al-Abidin Bin Ali.

Earlier in the day, the Tunisian premier and his Libyan counterpart, Muhammad al-Manqoush, presided over a meeting of the two countries ' higher committee. A final statement released following the meeting recommended the need of strengthening trade and cooperation in the fields of energy, industry, agriculture, the infrastructure, tourism, health and human resources.

The volume of trade exchange between the two countries for 1997 was US $480 million.