Libya has no plans for visas for Arab nationals

RABAT, Feb 11 (Reuters) Libya has no plans to introduce entry visas for citizens of other Arab nations but will require work and residence permits to regulate its labour market to curb illegal immigration, its foreign minister has said.

''We have no intention of imposing visas. I do not know from where journalists were getting such information,'' Mohammed Abdel-Rahman Shalgam told reporters in Rabat following a meeting of officials from the Arab Maghreb Union (AMU).

Libyan Public Security Minister Salah Rajab Al-Masmari said last month his country would impose visas for visitors from Arab countries, including AMU states, triggering criticism by officials and the media in the region.

''What we plan to do is to take administrative procedures to organise the labour market better out of legal and humanitarian necessity,'' said Shalgam, adding: ''Any person from Arab countries can enter Libya without a visa but he must have proper work and residence permits if he intends to work and stay in Libya beyond three months.'' Shalgam said the high number of illegal immigrants and abuse of illegal workers by Libyan businessmen were behind what he called ''the planned administrative procedures''.

Officials in Tripoli had complained repeatedly about what they said was the burden of more than two million immigrants from Arab and Sub Sahara states.

The officials said illegal immigrants caused security problems, diseases and diplomatic pressure from the European Union to stem illegal immigrant arrivals via Libya.

The Arab Maghreb Union, created in 1989 and grouping Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia, has struggled to achieve its aims of turning the region into a free trade zone and deepening cross-border cooperation.

REUTERS DKS BST0515