03 February 2004
U.S., British, Libyan Officials Meet in London February 6
State's Boucher says situation with Libya has "fundamentally changed"
U.S. and British officials meet Libyan officials in London February 6 to discuss the possibility of better relations, which have materialized as a result of Libya's moves to eliminate its weapons of mass destruction, State Department Spokesman Richard Boucher said February 3 at the daily media briefing.
Boucher noted that Libya has acceded to the international Chemical Weapons Convention, has agreed to remove sensitive materials related to its nuclear weapons and missile programs and is cooperating with the International Atomic Energy Agency.
"It's appropriate to have a political dialogue on what lies ahead. The situation with Libya has fundamentally changed," Boucher said.
Following is an excerpt from the transcript of the February 3 briefing containing comments about Libya:
(begin excerpt)
QUESTION: Libya. Can you talk about meetings between U.S., British and Libyan officials in London on Friday?
MR. BOUCHER: Sure. We're having meetings on Friday in London between American -- U.S., U.K. and Libyan officials. This is the result of positive steps that Libya has been taking to eliminate all elements of its weapons of mass destruction programs and controlled classes of missiles. The meeting will be in London on Friday. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs William J. Burns will be traveling to London for these meetings.
As you know, a U.S. and U.K. team, working with the International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors, was in Libya in January to assist Libya in the elimination of its weapons of mass destruction programs. We expect a similar team will return soon to continue the work.
The President has made clear that Libya's recent actions to open the door to the possibility of better relations between the U.S. and Libya as the Libyan Government takes these essential steps and demonstrates its seriousness, good faith will be returned.
The Libyan Government has taken several positive steps that reinforce their commitments of December 19th, including acceding to the Chemical Weapons Convention, agreeing to the removal of many thousands of pounds of sensitive materials related to Libya's nuclear weapons and ballistic missile capabilities, inviting International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors to Tripoli, and expressing a willingness to conclude the additional protocol to its International Atomic Energy Agency Safeguards Agreement. So we welcome those developments.
As the Secretary said yesterday, now that we've seen a couple weeks of action on the removal and verification, it's appropriate to have a political dialogue on what lies ahead. The situation with Libya has fundamentally changed.
QUESTION: That's what London is, a political dialogue on what lies ahead?
MR. BOUCHER: Yeah, a dialogue on political issues.
QUESTION: It's not comparing notes on how to continue this --
MR. BOUCHER: I'm sure there will be considerable discussion of how to continue, but there is also a political aspect to these discussions. That's why Assistant Secretary Burns will be going out.
QUESTION: Is there another load of parts due or coming -- documents, whatever?
MR. BOUCHER: As we send a new team out in, I guess, the near future, and sometime soon we'll send a new team out to Libya, again, U.S.-U.K. experts, working with the International Atomic Energy Agency, all of us working to help the Libyans meet the policy determination decisions that they have made to eliminate this program will be there helping, and, obviously, part of that help can include removing of materials for destruction where it might be safer or more appropriate to do that.
QUESTION: You said that as Libya demonstrates good faith, that good faith will be returned. And it seems as if Libya has demonstrated that good faith, so is part of this meeting to discuss what the next steps in terms of what the U.S. is going to do to reciprocate or reward Libya? I mean, do you think it's time for the U.S. to make some reciprocal gesture?
MR. BOUCHER: I think the United States has indicated that we do have flexibility as Libya moves forward, that we're able to move forward on some of the issues that Libya might be concerned about. So we'll look at the various aspects of our policy. As the President said, as they demonstrate good faith, good faith will be returned.
(end excerpt)
(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
This page printed from: http://usinfo.state.gov/xarchives/display.html?p=washfile-english&y=2004&m=February&x=20040203192748CPataruK0.5416071&t=usinfo/wf-latest.html
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