Eritrean president on official visit to Libya

ASMARA, Nov 4 (AFP) — Eritrean President Isaias Afeworki late Wednesday left for a two-day official visit in Libya, where he will also hold talks with his counterpart Moamer Kadhafi, an official statement said.

The two leaders will discuss “bilateral and regional” issues, according to a brief statement issued by the Eritrean information ministry.

Isaias Afeworki, whose nation is at loggerheads its neighbours, Sudan and Ethiopia, rarely makes international visits.

In February 2003, Kadhafi made his first ever visit to Eritrea and was welcomed by thousands in the streets of Asmara.

Late August, Libya forcefully expelled 76 Eritreans, who were in the north African nation illegally.

Of the expelled, four people hijacked a plane mid-air and eventually surrendered to the Khartoum authorities but only after a lengthy ordeal for their 69 fellow passengers.

Khartoum authorities then prosecuted and sentenced 15 of them to five years prison for hijacking and gave 61 others political asylum.

Tripoli said the measure were aimed at halting to use of Libya as a transit point for illegal immigration to Europe.