TRIPOLI, Libya, Sept. 17 (UPI) -- Libya has warned Italy's failure to compensate its people for losses incurred during the colonization period would harm relations between the nations.
The warning was issued Thursday night during the commemoration of the anniversary of the execution of Libyan national leader Omar al-Mukhtar by Italian colonial forces in 1931.
Libyan officials called on Italy to implement the clauses of a joint declaration signed in 1998 under which Rome apologized for its colonial rule and vowed to pay compensation to Libya.
"Relations between Italy and Libya will be adversely affected if the Italian government failed to meet its commitments of compensation," said Mohammed al-Khafifi, a senior government official.
He called on the Italian government and Parliament to work on implementing the declaration "because failing to do that will negatively reflect on the Italian and Libyan peoples."
"We want to remind them that we will struggle with all what we have to recover our right," he added.
