Italy secures share of libyan oil and gas

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi on Thursday promised the leader of Libya's Transition Council Mahmud Jibril 350 million euros. The resumption of oil and gas exploitation by an Italian firm was also discussed at the meeting. This highlights the hypocrisy of the West, notes the liberal Tages-Anzeiger, but at least it is also good news for Libya: "So is Berlusconi a big hypocrite? Without doubt - but he's not the only one. ... 'If Libya is free today it is not just because the West loves Libya so dearly but because the country has oil,' wrote the think-tank European Council on Foreign Relations. This may be true but the war wasn't waged because of the oil. The Nato operation came about because the West had gone too far with its hypocrisy regarding Gaddafi. Now it has successfully changed sides it can get back to business. The positive aspect is that the oil billions will help the future Libyan government rebuild the country. And the oil companies have an interest in the establishment of legal security for their business and a secure environment for their employees. From both these things the people of Libya will also benefit."

» more information (external link, German)
More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Trade, » Italy, » Libya
All available articles from » Luciano Ferrari

» To the complete press review of Friday, August 26, 2011