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Kadhafi son says US committed to protecting Libya
AFP ^ | December 24, 2003

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.


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Front Page News
KEYWORDS: bush43; gaddafi; libya; seifalislam; tonyblair; tripolivisit
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1 posted on 12/24/2003 12:18:33 PM PST by Shermy
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To: Shermy
Maybe the Libyans fear an invasion by the French or the Canadians?????
2 posted on 12/24/2003 12:21:51 PM PST by cynicom
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To: Heatseeker; archy
Wheelus
3 posted on 12/24/2003 12:22:03 PM PST by Shermy (As the world turns...)
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To: cynicom; swarthyguy; aristeides; marron; seamole; blam; knighthawk; Grampa Dave
Ping.
4 posted on 12/24/2003 12:23:15 PM PST by Shermy (Chirac is saddened.)
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To: cynicom; Shermy
United States has committed itself to providing security for the country ....

The world is a changing!

5 posted on 12/24/2003 12:24:06 PM PST by Ernest_at_the_Beach (Davis is now out of Arnoold's Office , Bout Time!!!!)
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To: Shermy
bump!

bookmark for later.

Merry Christmas to all! Stay safe.
6 posted on 12/24/2003 12:24:12 PM PST by Calpernia (Innocence seldom utters outraged shrieks. Guilt does.)
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To: cynicom
Seif is an anglophile, lives and studies in London.

Another Gaddafi son is a decent soccer player, but got booted recently from a European team for steroids. (I guess the Libyan masking technology is still behind the West's)

Prince Idris, son of the Libyan king deposed by Gaddafi, apparently lives in Washington D.C.

A full rapprochement with Libya is possible, though I think would be touchy to many without somehow dumping Gaddafi Sr., or putting him in the background somehow..."kicking him upstairs" is a possibility.
7 posted on 12/24/2003 12:27:19 PM PST by Shermy (As the world turns...)
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Comment #8 Removed by Moderator

To: Shermy
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.

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.

9 posted on 12/24/2003 12:30:01 PM PST by HAL9000
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To: cynicom; quidnunc
"Maybe the Libyans fear an invasion by the French or the Canadians?????

How about both? And just what were these two agents of oil company TotalFinaElf scheming? (Note the special double-secret handshake...hmmmmm...)


10 posted on 12/24/2003 12:31:36 PM PST by Shermy (As the world turns...)
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To: Shermy
A full rapprochement with Libya is possible, though I think would be touchy to many without somehow dumping Gaddafi Sr., or putting him in the background somehow..."kicking him upstairs" is a possibility.

Sure wouldn't be very popular where I live (Syracuse, NY) since he murdered 40 people from this area.

11 posted on 12/24/2003 12:31:57 PM PST by jalisco555 (Against stupidity the gods themselves contend in vain.)
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To: HAL9000
Bush and Blair would have to call for support from the Queer Eye For the Straight Guy show.
12 posted on 12/24/2003 12:32:46 PM PST by John Beresford Tipton
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach
The world is a changing!

For the better, every day. Some people get it, the rest can rot, well, you know where. =)

13 posted on 12/24/2003 12:33:21 PM PST by LayoutGuru2 (Call me paranoid but finding '/*' inside this comment makes me suspicious)
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Comment #14 Removed by Moderator

Comment #15 Removed by Moderator

To: Shermy
What is Libyan society like? I blush to admit that I don't know if Gaddafi is a Saddam-type tyrant, a relatively enlightened monarch, or an Islamic enforcer.

What is your opinion of this?
16 posted on 12/24/2003 12:36:34 PM PST by livius
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To: gaspar
Ping.
17 posted on 12/24/2003 12:38:26 PM PST by Shermy
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To: 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. ]

Inbreeding, stupidity, what... man somebody in the state department is good at propaganda... ummmm.. but I believe the republican party is conservative.... DUUH!..

nevermind...

18 posted on 12/24/2003 12:38:42 PM PST by hosepipe
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To: HAL9000

19 posted on 12/24/2003 12:40:26 PM PST by debg
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To: Shermy
From a purely tactical standpoint this might not be a bad idea; provided of course Libya does what it says it will do, in fact... And that as we all know is very, very questionable at this time.

Having said that, establishing military bases in both Libya and Iraq, would, I believe go a long way toward bringing some sense of stability to the region...

One can only hope. But I would say this, without the leadership of our President, none of this would have, or could have, ever been contemplated. Certainly not under Dizzy, the Breck Girl, Weasel Fart, or any of the other dwarves...

20 posted on 12/24/2003 12:41:08 PM PST by gatorgriz ("The world is full of bastards - the number ever increasing the further one gets from Missoula, MT")
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