In a sign of strengthening ties and Libya’s progress in dismantling its banned weapons programs, Britain said Tuesday that Prime Minister Tony Blair plans to meet soon with Libyan leader Muammar Gadhafi. No date has been set, but their first meeting would be a significant step in bringing the North African state - branded a sponsor of terrorism by the United States - back into the international fold.
The good cop makes his move.
The announcement came after Blair met the Libyan foreign minister in London, the highest-level contact between the countries in more than 20 years.
British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, in a joint news conference with his Libyan counterpart, Abdel-Rahman Shalqam, said Libya was "making good progress" in scrapping its nuclear, chemical and biological programs. Asked about the prospect of Blair’s visiting Libya, he said: "We’ve discussed that. We’re hoping very much that a visit can be arranged as soon as convenient, but no date has been fixed." Blair’s spokesman declined to comment on a timetable for a meeting or say where it might take place. |