NEW YORK (AP) — Italy's foreign minister says Italy will expand its economic and social commitments in Libya even as the North African country continues to battle problems that range from unsecured borders to roaming militia groups.
Italy, a former colonial ruler of Libya, has decades-solid trade ties with Tripoli, including extensive gas and oil interests.
"We are encouraging Libyan authorities to urgently tackle the issue of safety," Foreign Minister Giulio Terzi told The Associated Press in an interview on Friday.
He noted that Libya's weak security instability contributed to the killing of the U.S. ambassador to Libya, Chris Stevens, along with three other Americans in an attack on the U.S. consulate in the eastern city of Benghazi.
He said, "we intend to increase our presence in every field."
