Navy Spokesman: Italian Vessel Arrives in Tripoli Marine Base to Promote Technical and Training Cooperation.

Tripoli, 2 August 2017(Lana) The Libyan Navy Spokesman Ayub Gassem has announced that an Italian ship 'Commandante Prozene' has arrived at the Tripoli marine base on Wednesday carrying experts in different specialties , for a 5 day working visit. The ship is part of cooperation between Libya and Italy to upgrade the capabilities of the Libyan Navy and the Coast Guard forces, Gassem said. He noted that a EU delegation arrived in the Navy Staff headquarters in the Tripoli Marine Base, including the EU ambassador, the Commander of Sofia Operation, the Head of the EU Border Assistance Mission in Libya EUBAM, and the EU Military Attach. The two sides held a meeting at the base on cooperation on matters of common interest. The EU delegation informed the Libyan side of extending the Sofia Operation until December 1, 2018. The EU delegation also said the meeting was to discuss ways of upgrading the Libyan side namely the Navy and Coast Guard forces on to confront illegal activities including trafficking, smuggling of fuel, goods and drugs. Gassem said the two sides agreed to hold joint training, subject of the third package of the memorandum of understanding, and cooperation between Libyan and EU patrols outside the Libyan territorial waters. There was also an agreement to set up a joint committee by the Navy and the European side, to pave the way for the start of technical cooperation similar to was done with the Coast Guard. The European side urged for a serious addressing of the illegal migration explaining the risks Libya faced in the South including demographic change. =Lana=