TRIPOLI, July 7 (Xinhua) -- Libya's UN-backed Prime Minister Fayez Serraj on Saturday met with the Italian Foreign Minister Enzo Moavero Milanesi in the Libyan capital Tripoli and discussed cooperation between the two countries.
According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister's information office, the meeting discussed political developments and joint efforts against illegal immigration.
"The Italian minister announced his country's rejection of handing over oil ports to unrecognized parallel entities and this should be rectified. The two sides also stressed the importance of working to achieve stability under the umbrella of the United Nations," the statement said.
The Libyan eastern-based army, led by Gen. Khalifa Haftar, recently took control of the oil crescent region, which is located some 500 km east of the capital Tripoli and contains the country's largest oil ports, after defeating the militants occupying it.
Shortly after that, the army handed over the region to the National Oil Corporation of the eastern-based interim government, instead of the Tripoli-based UN-backed unity government.
Serraj praised Italy's support for the Libyan coast guards and called for the return of Italian companies to Libya, after they left a few years ago due to deteriorating security conditions.
"The two sides agreed to confront illegal immigration and deal with various security, economic and humanitarian aspects by supporting the source countries economically to avoid the reasons of immigration," the statement said.
The two sides also agreed to support Libya in confronting human trafficking networks, securing its borders, supporting shelters of illegal immigrants, and speeding their repatriation to their countries.
Due to the state of insecurity and chaos in the country following the 2011 uprising that toppled former leader Gaddafi's regime, Libya became a departure point for illegal immigrants towards Europe.
Milanesi stressed the importance of the 2008 Treaty on Friendship, Partnership and Cooperation between the two countries "so that the peoples of both countries can benefit from its positive results."
