US renews full diplomatic relations with Libya

[SOO MAAL]

A new era

 

US renews full diplomatic relations with Libya

 

 

Libya taken off US list of terror states after Kadhafi's 2003 decision to renounce terrorism, abandon efforts to make WMD.

 

 

By Sylvie Lanteaume - WASHINGTON

 

The United States on Monday renewed diplomatic ties with Libya, ending a 25-year battle with leader Moamer Kadhafi over backing international terrorism.

 

 

Libya was also taken off a US list of nations accused of supporting terrorism.

 

 

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice called on Iran and North Korea's hardline leaders to take "strategic decisions" similar to Kadhafi's.

 

 

The United Nations imposed international sanctions on Libya after a passenger jet bombing over Lockerbie, Scotland in 1988 and other attacks that were blamed on Kadhafi's government.

 

 

Rice called the renewal of ties one of the "tangible results" of Kadhafi's decision in 2003 to renounce terrorism and abandon efforts to make weapons of mass destruction.

 

 

"I am pleased to announce that the United States is restoring full diplomatic relations with Libya. We will soon open an embassy in Tripoli," Rice said in a statement.

 

 

The White House issued a decree late Monday that took Libya off a list of designated state sponsors of terrorism.

 

 

Libyan Foreign Minister Abdel Rahman Shalgham hailed the US move. "This turns a new page (between the two countries), in the interests of both peoples," Shalgham said from Tripoli.

 

 

Britain also welcomed the US decision. British Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett said: "Libya has made significant progress since its historic decisions in 2003 to renounce terrorism and eliminate its weapons of mass destruction."

 

 

"We will continue to work with Libya to take forward this progress," Beckett said.

 

 

Rice highlighted the move as an example for Iran and North Korea, which the United States has branded rogue nations and sponsors of terror activities.

 

 

"Just as 2003 marked a turning point for the Libyan people, so too could 2006 mark turning points for the peoples of Iran and North Korea," she said.

 

 

"We urge the leadership of Iran and North Korea to make similar strategic decisions that would benefit their citizens."

 

 

Washington severed ties with Libya in 1981, two years after radical students ransacked the US embassy in Tripoli.

 

 

An alleged Libyan-backed attack on a Berlin disco popular with Americans in 1986 spurred the United States to launch air raids against Tripoli, killing 41 people.

 

 

Libya's alleged involvement in international terrorism surged to the forefront when a Pan Am passenger jet was blown up over the Scottish town of Lockerbie, killing 270 people in the plane and on the ground.

 

 

Following UN pressure, two Libyans eventually stood trial for the attacks at a Scottish court that sat in the Netherlands. In 2003 Tripoli agreed to pay the families of the dead victims millions of dollars each in compensation.

 

 

Those steps led to the cancellation of UN sanctions and the slow warming of relations with Washington.

 

 

The families of Lockerbie victims said the renewal of relations had been inevitable.

 

 

"It's not a surprise, it's surprising it took this long," said Robert Monetti, whose son was killed in the attack.

 

 

However, he said, "I don't think I will ever be really comfortable with Libya. The people who blew up Pan Am 103, the ones that were responsible for it, have never been brought to justice. But it is what it is. The countries can not stop doing business just because of things like this."

 

 

After Kadhafi agreed to open up Libya's weapons production sites to US and British experts, the United States opened a special interests section in Tripoli in February 2004. This was upgraded to a "liaison office" the same year.

 

 

Rice said: "We are taking these actions in recognition of Libya's commitment to its renunciation of terrorism and the excellent cooperation Libya has provided to the United States and other members of the international community in response to common global threats faced by the civilized world since September 11, 2001."

[SOO MAAL]

US opens new page in ties with Libya

 

US to take Libya off list of terror states

 

 

Libyan FM welcomes Washington’s announcement of renewal of full diplomatic ties with Tripoli.

 

 

TRIPOLI - The United States is to renew full diplomatic ties with Libya and take it off a list of states that back terrorism, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Monday.

 

 

Rice called the resumption of relations the "tangible results" of Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi's decision in 2003 to renounce terrorism and abandon efforts to make weapons of mass destruction.

 

 

"I am pleased to announce that the United States is restoring full diplomatic relations with Libya. We will soon open an embassy in Tripoli," Rice said in a statement.

 

 

"In addition, the United States intends to remove Libya from the list of designated state sponsors of terrorism. Libya will also be omitted from the annual certification of countries not cooperating fully with United States' anti-terrorism efforts," the top US diplomat said.

 

 

The move comes a quarter-century after diplomatic relations were severed following the 1979 sacking of the US embassy in Tripoli by protesters.

 

 

Alleged Libyan-backed terrorist attacks in 1986 spurred the United States to launch air raids against Tripoli.

 

 

Libya was also held responsible for the 1988 bombing of a Pan Am passenger jet which crashed near Lockerbie, Scotland, killing 270 people, most of them Americans.

 

 

"We are taking these actions in recognition of Libya's continued commitment to its renunciation of terrorism and the excellent cooperation Libya has provided to the United States and other members of the international community in response to common global threats faced by the civilized world since September 11, 2001," Rice said.

 

 

After Kadhafi agreed to open up Libya's weapon production sites to US and British experts, the United States opened a a special interests section in Tripoli in February, 2004.

 

 

This was upgraded to a "liaison office" on June 28 that year, officially reestablishing formal relations.

 

 

Rice said Libya was "an important model" for other nations like North Korea and Iran which Washington has also branded state sponsors of terrorism.

 

 

"Just as 2003 marked a turning point for the Libyan people, so too could 2006 mark turning points for the peoples of Iran and North Korea," she said.

 

 

"We urge the leadership of Iran and North Korea to make similar strategic decisions that would benefit their citizens."