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| Libyan Prime Minister Ali Zeidan (C) talks with Tunisian Prime Minister Hamadi Jebali (R) and Algerian Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal (L) at Ghadames Airport, Ghadames, Libya, Jan. 12, 2013. Libyan Prime Minister Ali Zeidan and his counterparts Hamadi Jebali of Tunisia and Abdelmalek Sellal of Algeria held a three-way summit in Ghadames on Saturday to discuss security along their common borders. (Xinhua/Hamza Turkia) |
TRIPOLI, Jan. 12 (Xinhua) -- Prime ministers of Libya, Tunisia and Algeria held Saturday a meeting in Libyan southwestern town Ghadames on border security.
The closed-door trilateral meeting, which started Saturday morning in the town over 500 km southwest of Tripoli, discussed enhancing security and combating terrorist activities in the border areas between the three North African nations, a Xinhua reporter learnt.
At a press conference after the meeting, Libyan Prime Minister Ali Zaidan said the meeting intended to discussed securing borders, fighting illegal immigration, and drug and weapon smuggling.
Stressing the serious consequences of the Malian crisis, the Libyan prime minister also called for a common stance of the three states on the situation in Mali.
The three countries have agreed to hold regular meetings three times a year, Zaidan said.
"Some consider that Tunisia and Libya as sacked lands after their revolutions, but we assure them that we will look out for them and we will use maximum force to secure our borders and respect the rules of good neighborliness," he said.
Security on the borders of the three countries deteriorated after civil conflicts started in Libya in 2011. The border areas have witnessed arms smuggling, abductions and armed attacks.
At the end of Saturday's meeting, gunfire was heard around the venue of the meeting. The reason for the shooting is unknown yet, and no casualties were reported.
