President George Abela has returned from his visit to Libya where, he said, it was important for Malta to attend the celebrations held to mark the 40th anniversary of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi as head of the Libyan Arab Republic.

Dr Abela said he met Col. Gaddafi officially soon after they arrived in Libya. He conveyed greetings to the Libyan leader and renewed the sense of friendship between the two peoples.

In Libya Dr Abela was accompanied by Foreign Minister Tonio Borg. They met with the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani, who requested a meeting when Dr Abela recalled the considerable assistance Pakistan gave to Malta in the seventies to set up its national airline.

On Wednesday Dr Abela visited a Franciscan nuns’ convent where he met Maltese nuns who are working with orphaned children. He also met with Cardinal Renato Martino, who represented the Vatican at the celebrations.

Dr Abela and Dr Borg also went to Palm City where they also met Maltese workers on the project, and other Maltese workers employed by the Corinthia BAB Afrika Hotel.