Libyan FM on landmark visit to UK

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, February 11, 2004

Libyan FM on landmark visit to UK

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Libyan foreign minister visit Britain

Visiting Libyan Foreign Minister Abdel Rahman Mohammad Shalgam was meeting British Prime Minister Tony Blair Tuesday in London during what the British government called a "milestone" visit to Britain.

Shalgam's visit, which began on Monday, is the first to Britain by a Libyan foreign minister in more than 30 years. It follows Libya's announcement last December that it was abandoning efforts to develop weapons of mass destruction.

Shalgam would also hold talks with British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw on Tuesday morning.

According to the British Foreign Office, Shalgam's visit was a "milestone in what have been steadily improving relations" between Libya and Britain.

It was also part of a wider plan to bring Libya into the "international mainstream," the Foreign Office said earlier.

Britain had been deeply involved in negotiations that secured Libya's pledge to give up its banned weapons after nearly a year of secret talks between Libya, the United States and Britain.

Last week, London also hosted talks involving senior officials from Britain, Libya and the United States on Libya's dismantling of its banned weapons.

A Foreign Office spokeswoman told reporters last week that London hoped Shalgam's visit would help resolve the case of the 1984 shooting of British policewoman Yvonne Fletcher, who was killed during a protest by a shot appeared to be fired from a window of the Libyan Embassy in London.

According to British officials, Libya has failed to cooperate fully in the investigation into the murder.

Diplomatic ties between the two countries, severed in 1984 due to the row over Fletcher's killing, was restored in 1999 after two Libyans accused of the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, were handed over for trial.

Libya was listed by the United States as a sponsor of terrorism and was the target of Lockerbie-related UN sanctions until September last year, when Tripoli took responsibility for the Lockerbie bombing and agreed to pay families of the 270 victims about 2.7 billion US Dollars.

Libya's decision to dismantle WMD makes world safer: UK FM

British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw on Tuesday hailed Libya's decision to give up weapons of mass destruction (WMD) programs as "courageous", saying it would make the world a safer place.

Britain was making good progress with Libya on its pledge last December to abandon WMD programs, Straw said at a joint news conference with visiting Libyan Foreign Minister Abdel Rahman Mohammed Shalgam.

Shalgam's visit to Britain was a "truly historic" trip in over 30 years and this was a "tangible proof" of improving relations between Britain and Libya, Straw said, stressing that the two countries would further seek to improve political, commercial and cultural ties, find ways to boost cooperation on tackling terrorism.

Straw told reporters that the two sides have agreed to cooperate to resolve the case of the 1984 killing of British policewoman Yvonne Fletcher, who was shot outside the Libyan embassy in London during a protest.

Britain would also encourage Libya to move forward to honor human rights, Straw added.

"We always regard Libya as a good country," Straw said. "We are looking forward to putting the difficulties behind us."

Straw also told reporters that British Prime Minister Tony Blair has been invited to visit Libya, but no date has yet been decided.

"We've discussed that, we are hoping very much that a visit can be arranged as soon as convenient but no date has yet been fixed," Straw said.

On his part, Shalgam told reporters that he had discussed various issues with British Prime Minister Tony Blair earlier in the day and his talks with the British side included Libya's progress in dismantling banned weapons, relations between Libya, Britain and the United States and that between Libya and the European Union.

Shalgam denied Libya had made any concessions in last December's announcement to give up banned weapons.

While Libya had the know-how, it had not plans to make weapons of mass destruction, Shalgam told reporters.

On Fletcher's issue, the Libyan foreign minister said his country was willing to discuss "any file".

Diplomatic ties between the two countries were severed in 1984 due to the row over Fletcher's killing and restored in 1999 after two Libyans accused of the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland were handed over for trial.

Libya was listed by the United States as a sponsor of terrorism and was the target of Lockerbie-related United Nations sanctions until September last year. The sanctions were lifted after Tripoli took responsibility for the Lockerbie bombing and agreed to pay families of the 270 victims about 2.7 billion US dollars.

Britain had been deeply involved in negotiations that secured Libya's pledge to give up its banned weapons after nearly a year of secret talks between Libya, the United States and Britain.

Last week, London also hosted a three-way talks involving senior officials from Britain, Libya and the United States on Libya's dismantling of its banned weapons.

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