Libyan leader Muamar Ghadaffi: «Committet to his renunciation of terrorism.

© afrol / Frédéric de La Mure / Gouvt. française

afrol News, 15 May - US Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, today announced that Washington is to restore full diplomatic relations with Libya. The North African country is to be removed from the US list of states sponsoring terrorism, allowing for the establishment of a US Embassy in Tripoli. Within 45 days, the US and Libya are to have totally normal diplomatic ties; for the first time since 1979.

"I am pleased to announce that the United States is restoring full diplomatic relations with Libya," Ms Rice said in a statement today. "We will soon open an embassy in Tripoli," she said, adding that Libyan authorities also were invited to upgrade their representation in Washington to a full-scale embassy.

The US Secretary of State explained that Washington "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 US' anti-terrorism efforts." These are pre-conditions for a re-establishment of diplomatic ties. The omission will have to pass the US Senate and have been announced for 45 days before the full restoration is implemented - probably on 1 July.

"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 civilised world since 11 September 2001," Ms Rice said in her statement.

The US withdrew its last Ambassador to Libya in 1972. All remaining government personnel were withdrawn and the embassy was shut down after a mob attacked and set fire to the US Embassy in Tripoli on 2 December 1979. In May 1981, US authorities closed the Libyan "People's Bureau" (embassy) in Washington and expelled the Libyan staff "in response to a general pattern of unacceptable conduct."

The diplomatic crisis between Washington and Tripoli was deepened by the 1988 Lockerbie bombing that killed 270 people and for which Libya took on responsibilities only in 2003. Before that, the US army had dropped bombs in Tripoli, in an attempt to kill Libyan leader Muamar Ghadaffi, who had been accused of sponsoring world-wide terrorism since 1979.

Libya was treated as a pariah state during the 1980s and 1990s, with Mr Ghadaffi keeping a hostile tone towards the West. The ample economic sanctions against Tripoli however became increasingly costly, in particular given the Libyan oil industry's dependence on American technology. In 1999, Libya signalled a willingness to negotiate by addressing the Lockerbie case.

The Ghadaffi regime radically changed its course after the 11 September 2001 attacks on the US and Washington's new aggressive approach towards "unfriendly" regimes trying to develop weapons of mass destruction. Libya in December 2003 capitulated to the pressure and decided to abandon its weapon programmes. Agreeing to pay more than US$ 2 billion in compensation to the Lockerbie victims and closely cooperating in the US' anti-terrorism campaigns, Libya slowly came on better terms with Washington.

In February 2004, the US re-established limited diplomatic ties with Libya, opening an "Interests Section" in Tripoli. Slowly and step by step, US sanctions against Libya have been dropped and the diplomatic representations have grown into almost full-fledged embassies. By February this year, US citizens and companies were allowed to engage almost freely in Libya. European countries established full diplomatic relations with Libya already in 2004 or 2005.

From 1 July, there will thus be total normality in US-Libyan relations. "For Libya, today's announcements open the door to a broader bilateral relationship with the US that will allow us to better discuss other issues of importance," Ms Rice said. "Those issues include protection of universal human rights, promotion of freedom of speech and expression, and expansion of economic and political reform," she added, indicating that the new US Embassy in Tripoli will be a mixed blessing for Libyan leader Ghadaffi.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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