Posted on 01/08/2003 1:01:45 PM PST by Shermy
TRIPOLI (Reuters) - Libya, which has been trying to thaw relations with Washington, has given a U.S. beauty contestant citizenship and named her as honorary consul to the United States. The Libyan news agency Jana said Tuesday Libya had named Tecca Zendik, a U.S. citizen who lives in the United States, to the post at an official ceremony in Tripoli Sunday at which she was also granted citizenship and a Libyan passport.
"Libya was convinced Zendik would play an effective role in the service of relations with the United States," it quoted a Foreign Ministry spokesman as saying at the ceremony.
Libya under Muammar Gaddafi remains on the U.S. list of states that sponsor terrorism and rapprochement has proved elusive despite its improving relations with Britain and other European countries.
Zendik went to Tripoli in November as the U.S. contestant in a beauty pageant, Miss Net World, whose winner -- British model Lucy Layton -- was chosen by votes via the Internet.
At Sunday's ceremony Zendik pledged to work for peace, telling Libyan officials that she and many Americans oppose wars and yearn for friendly links with other peoples, Jana said.
Qaddafi: "And the money we had to spend on building the bomb to slaughter those Americans could have been spent on building a milk factory for Libyan orphans instead. If the Americans would have just stayed in America then those poor orphans would be enjoying milk!"
Ms. Air Head: "Oh, boo hoo hoo! We have been robbing milk from the mouths of Libyan babies! Boo hoo hoo!"
Frightened, but glad.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.