Tripoli - Libyan Prime Minister al-Baghdadi al-Mahmoudi was expected to arrive in Russia on Thursday for talks with Premier Vladimir Putin over economic cooperation and potential lucrative gas projects, according to media reports.

With estimated gas reserves of about 1.5 trillion cubic metres, Libya is a major gas exporter with an ambitious plan for a gas pipeline to Europe.

Russia's gas firm Gazprom is eyeing opportunities in Libya and hopes through its strategic partnership with Italian oil company Eni to secure a share in Libya's lucrative gas market.

Eni and Libya's National Oil Corporation co-own a pipeline that takes Libya's gas exports to Italy's southern island of Sicily.

At a Russian-Libyan summit held in Tripoli in April a deal was sealed under which Moscow would write off Libyan debts of about 4.5 billion dollars in return for a promised share in Libyan business deals. (dpa)