Rome - Libyan President Moamer Gaddafi is welcome to visit Italy where he would be received as a friend, Italian foreign minister Franco Frattini said Thursday, according to news reports.

"If the leader of the Libyan revolution desires to visit Italy we will greet him with friendship, as one would with a friend," Frattini was quoted as saying by the ANSA news agency.

The Italian foreign minister, made the remarks on the margins of a conference in Rome examining a friendship agreement signed in August by Gaddafi and Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, in Benghazi, Libya.

In terms of the deal, Berlusconi pledged to direct some 5 billion dollars of Italian investments towards the oil-rich North African nation, as a means of compensation for Italy's past colonial rule over Libya.

Italy's parliament would "shortly" ratify the agreement, Frattini told delegates at the conference which included Libyan foreign minister Mohammed Abdel-Rahman Shalgam and Gaddafi's son Seif al-Islam Gaddafi.

"Libya is a reliable country and is now recognized as such by the international community. It is also an exceptional partner for Italy," Frattini said.

For his part, Seif al-Islam Gaddafi said he hoped to see co-operation between Rome and Tripoli extend to the military field.

"We would like to see Italian and Libyan military forces participate in joint manoeuvres as well as the Italian and Libyan navy carrying out joint patrols," to combat illegal immigration, Seif al-Islam Gaddafi was quoted as saying by ANSA.

The friendship agreement with Libya has drawn criticism in Italy from those who say that closer ties must depend on Tripoli showing greater commitment in curbing would-be immigrants from using its coastline as springboard to reach Italian shores.

Libya's relationship with Western nations, including Italy, has improved since 2003 when it announced it was abandoning attempt to acquire weapons of mass destruction. (dpa)