How about both? And just what were these two agents of oil company TotalFinaElf scheming? (Note the special double-secret handshake...hmmmmm...)
Posted on 12/24/2003 12:18:33 PM PST by Shermy
CAIRO (AFP) - The son of Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi has said the United States has committed itself to providing security for the country and that US officials will travel there soon to ascertain its needs.
Seif al-Islam, in comments published Wednesday in the Saudi-owned daily Asharq al-Awsat, also said British Prime Minister Tony Blair and US President George W. Bush would visit Libya in 2004.
Islam said Washington had "committed itself to protecting us from any sort of attack" and that there had been "consultations to conclude security and military accords that would lead to joint military maneuvers in the future."
American military officials "will come to Libya soon to apprise themselves of its military protection requirements," he added.
Last Friday, Libya won plaudits from the international community, including longtime foes London and Washington, with a surprise announcement that it was renouncing longstanding efforts to develop weapons of mass destruction.
Blair described the announcement, which followed nine months of secret talks between Libya and Britain and the United States, as "courageous" and "historic".
Bush said the move by Libya, long a pariah on the world stage, would help bolster security worldwide, adding that Libya had begun "the process of rejoining the community of nations".
Referring to Tripoli's decision, Islam said factories for the production of missiles, mostly Scud-Bs with a range of 300 kilometres (185 miles) that had been built jointly with the former Soviet Union and North Korea "will not be dismantled or destroyed."
However, he reaffirmed that "programs for the production of chemical, biological and nuclear arms would stop," except those that are for defensive purposes and which will be submitted to "international surveillance."
Referring to the upcoming visits, Islam said "the British premier will visit Tripoli at the beginning of next year, followed by a visit by US President George Bush.
"I foresee (the Bush visit) happening after the lifting of US sanctions, which I believe should happen within three months at most," he told the London-based newspaper by telephone from Tripoli.
In a separate interview published in another Saudi-owned daily, Al-Hayat, Libyan Prime Minister Shukri Ghanem said the weapons programs the country was now abandoning had been designed for defense, "given that that countries (in the Middle East such as Israel possess nuclear and mass destruction weapons."
He expressed hope that the Libyan decision would inspire the international community to press Israel to abandon these arms, "which are an obstacle to a just and comprehensive peace in the region."
He also denied speculation that Libya's decision was based on "what happened in Iraq," attacked by a US-led coalition in March over still unproven allegations that it possessed weapons of mass destruction.
Washington on Monday cautiously raised the prospect of lifting sanctions against Libya after Kadhafi's decision.
"As Libya's policy changes, Libya's behavior changes, Libya's circumstances change, we'll be willing to look at those things," said State Department spokesman Richard Boucher.
"At some point, we may be in a position to make some changes."
Washington and Tripoli have not had diplomatic relations since 1981.
The US government banned the import of Libyan crude oil in 1982 and in the following years imposed extra trade, export and investment bans.
More sanctions were imposed for Libya's alleged support for terrorism in 1986, including a total import-export ban, and expanded economic and travel embargos.
Libya is also on a US blacklist as one of seven states accused of supporting terrorism.
As for Britain, diplomatic relations were severed in 1984 after a British policewoman was shot dead from inside the Libyan embassy during an opposition demonstration in London. Relations were reestablished in 1999.
The United Nations suspended sanctions against Tripoli in 1995, but did not fully lift them until September of this year when Libya admitted its role in bombing of a US airliner over Lockerbie, Scotland in December, 1988, which killed 270 people, and began to pay compensation.
The world is a changing!
I'm trying to picture President Bush and Khadafi standing together at a joint press conference.
Hopefully, Khadafi won't be wearing one of his drag queen outfits.
How about both? And just what were these two agents of oil company TotalFinaElf scheming? (Note the special double-secret handshake...hmmmmm...)
Sure wouldn't be very popular where I live (Syracuse, NY) since he murdered 40 people from this area.
For the better, every day. Some people get it, the rest can rot, well, you know where. =)
Inbreeding, stupidity, what... man somebody in the state department is good at propaganda... ummmm.. but I believe the republican party is conservative.... DUUH!..
nevermind...
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