Libya's move came after Switzerland allegedly blacklisted 188 high-ranking Libyans, denying them entry permits.

The Swiss ban is said to include Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi and his family.

Switzerland is in the 25-nation Schengen zone - European countries that have abolished mutual border controls.

The Schengen zone includes 23 of the 27 European Union member states. Switzerland is not in the EU but is in Schengen, as are three other non-EU countries - Iceland, Monaco and Norway.

EU members outside Schengen are the UK, the Irish Republic, Bulgaria, Cyprus and Romania.

The Libyan-Swiss row dates back to July 2008, when Col Gaddafi's son Hannibal and daughter-in-law were arrested in Switzerland. The charges, of mistreating two domestic employees, were later dropped.

Libya then halted oil exports to Switzerland, withdrew billions of dollars of assets from Swiss banks and put two Swiss businessmen working in Libya on trial for visa violations and other offences.

Italy and Austria - Schengen members - are among the countries that have invested heavily in Libya's oil sector and construction projects.

This news was published by BBC News on February 16, 2010.