fantassin
02-11-2004, 09:43 AM
MIDDLE EAST & AFRICA: London wants EU to lift arms embargo on Libya
By Christopher Adams and Roula Khalaf in London
Financial Times; Feb 11, 2004
Britain is to press for the European Union arms embargo against Libya to be lifted as soon as possible as ministers consider what steps could be taken to reward Tripoli for renouncing weapons of mass destruction.
The move, which is likely to be resisted by Germany until it resolves the 1986 Berlin disco bombing controversy, follows yesterday's "milestone" talks in London between Tony Blair, UK prime minister, and Abdurrahman Shalgam, Libya's foreign minister.
British pressure for an end to the embargo comes when the US is about to open an interests section in Tripoli, probably under the flag of the Belgian embassy.
Jack Straw, the UK foreign secretary, said the Libyans had agreed to "enhanced co-operation" with British police efforts to find the killers of a police officer who was murdered by a shot fired from within the Libyan embassy in London in 1984. The twentieth anniversary of Yvonne Fletcher's death is in two months.
The development of trade ties, possible military aid and a trip by Mr Blair to meet Libyan leader Colonel Muammer Gadaffi are being linked to Tripoli's help with the investigation and progress in dismantling its weapons. Western diplomats in Tripoli said naval visits and training of Libyans in UK military schools were expected to be on the agenda of Mr Shalgam's London visit.
Mr Straw said he was "looking forward to an end to, for example, the EU arms embargo as soon as that can be agreed within the EU".
The move would be the next step in rehabilitating Libya into the international community following its agreement in December to dismantle its weapons.
Tripoli argues that the lifting of the embargo is important to developing a new defence strategy now that its WMD capability is to be diminished.
Silvio Berlusconi, Italy's prime minister, yesterday became the first western leader to meet Mr Gadaffi with a visit to Tripoli.
Italy wants the embargo lifted, because it could supply Libya with patrol boats to help curb the flow of illegal migrants.
The UK is hoping Libya will soon join the EU's so-called Barcelona process, the 1995 initiative to strengthen ties with non-EU Mediterranean countries. Tripoli has resisted EU pressure to take part because of the participation of Israel.
The rehabilitation of the Gadaffi regime comes amid continued concerns over Libya's human rights record.
Tripoli, however, will this week allow a visit by Amnesty International, the human rights organisation, for the first time in 15 years. Amnesty said it continued to receive reports of torture in Libyan detention centres and hundreds of people remained in prison. It said "numerous" cases of deaths in custody had not been investigated by the Libyan authorities.
By Christopher Adams and Roula Khalaf in London
Financial Times; Feb 11, 2004
Britain is to press for the European Union arms embargo against Libya to be lifted as soon as possible as ministers consider what steps could be taken to reward Tripoli for renouncing weapons of mass destruction.
The move, which is likely to be resisted by Germany until it resolves the 1986 Berlin disco bombing controversy, follows yesterday's "milestone" talks in London between Tony Blair, UK prime minister, and Abdurrahman Shalgam, Libya's foreign minister.
British pressure for an end to the embargo comes when the US is about to open an interests section in Tripoli, probably under the flag of the Belgian embassy.
Jack Straw, the UK foreign secretary, said the Libyans had agreed to "enhanced co-operation" with British police efforts to find the killers of a police officer who was murdered by a shot fired from within the Libyan embassy in London in 1984. The twentieth anniversary of Yvonne Fletcher's death is in two months.
The development of trade ties, possible military aid and a trip by Mr Blair to meet Libyan leader Colonel Muammer Gadaffi are being linked to Tripoli's help with the investigation and progress in dismantling its weapons. Western diplomats in Tripoli said naval visits and training of Libyans in UK military schools were expected to be on the agenda of Mr Shalgam's London visit.
Mr Straw said he was "looking forward to an end to, for example, the EU arms embargo as soon as that can be agreed within the EU".
The move would be the next step in rehabilitating Libya into the international community following its agreement in December to dismantle its weapons.
Tripoli argues that the lifting of the embargo is important to developing a new defence strategy now that its WMD capability is to be diminished.
Silvio Berlusconi, Italy's prime minister, yesterday became the first western leader to meet Mr Gadaffi with a visit to Tripoli.
Italy wants the embargo lifted, because it could supply Libya with patrol boats to help curb the flow of illegal migrants.
The UK is hoping Libya will soon join the EU's so-called Barcelona process, the 1995 initiative to strengthen ties with non-EU Mediterranean countries. Tripoli has resisted EU pressure to take part because of the participation of Israel.
The rehabilitation of the Gadaffi regime comes amid continued concerns over Libya's human rights record.
Tripoli, however, will this week allow a visit by Amnesty International, the human rights organisation, for the first time in 15 years. Amnesty said it continued to receive reports of torture in Libyan detention centres and hundreds of people remained in prison. It said "numerous" cases of deaths in custody had not been investigated by the Libyan authorities.