[5][6][7] History books were published that began to spread the idea of a disconnection between the Italian and Catholic populations, and instead tried to promote the theory of closer cultural and ethnic ties with North Africa.

This new development was noted by Boissevain in 1991: ...the Labour government broke off relations with NATO and sought links with the Arab world.

[10] In 1980, an oil rig of the Italian company Saipem commissioned by Texaco to drill on behalf of the Maltese government 68 nautical miles south-east of Malta had to stop operations after being threatened by a Libyan gunboat.

[11][12] Malta and Libya had entered into a Friendship and Cooperation Treaty, in response to repeated overtures by Gaddafi for a closer, more formal union between the two countries; and, for a brief period, Arabic had become a compulsory subject in Maltese secondary schools.

On 11 March, one of Gaddafi's cousins attempted to bribe Maltese Air Force officials in order to purchase jet fuel.

[1] During the second Libyan civil war, Malta (along with most of the international community) continued to recognize the Government of National Accord after it was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court of Libya.

The recognized General National Congress now controls the official Libyan Embassy in Balzan, while the unrecognized House of Representatives has opened a consulate in Ta' Xbiex.

[20][21] A meeting between the leaders of the two rival governments of Libya was held at Auberge de Castille in Valletta, Malta on 16 December 2015.