28 June 2004
U.S., Libya Renew Direct Diplomatic Ties
Burns leads delegation to Libya for wide-ranging discussions
The United States and Libya have formally renewed direct diplomatic ties with the June 28 opening of a U.S. Liaison Office in Tripoli. The move ends a 24-year hiatus in official ties between the two countries.
The opening of the new office occurred during the visit to Libya by Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs William Burns and a delegation of U.S. officials.
According to a June 28 State Department press statement, the officials discussed a wide array of pending issues including Libya's commitment to comply with United Nations resolutions concerning the 1988 bombing of Pan Am 103, Libya's progress in eliminating weapons of mass destruction, and its commitment to support the war on terrorism.
In the statement, U.S. officials welcomed Libya's efforts to help address the humanitarian crisis in Darfur, Sudan.
The officials also encouraged the Libyan government to abide by human rights treaties and welcomed its statements regarding internal reforms. Burns affirmed the U.S. commitment to support economic and political reforms in any way it can.
Following is the text of the State Department press statement:
(begin text)
Press Statement
Tripoli, Libya
June 27-28, 2004
Visit of Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs William Burns to Tripoli, Libya
Assistant Secretary of State William Burns met on June 28 in Tripoli with Libyan officials, continuing a dialogue on the future of U.S.--Libyan relations begun on February 6. He was joined by Counterterrorism Coordinator Ambassador Cofer Black and other U.S. specialists. In meetings with Colonel Qadhafi and other Libyan officials, the U.S. delegation held wide-ranging discussions on a broad agenda, reflecting the depth of engagement between the United States and Libya on issues of mutual concern. The U.S. delegation expressed appreciation for Libya's efforts to address the tragic humanitarian situation in Darfur, Sudan, and the two sides agreed to continue their cooperation on this critical issue.
During the meetings, the U.S. delegation recalled the importance of Libya's decision to fulfill the U.N. resolutions on Pan Am 103 and welcomed Libya's assurance that it stood by those commitments. In this context, the delegation reiterated the President's commitment to reciprocate in good faith as Libya implements its commitment to eliminate its weapons of mass destruction programs and MTCR-class missiles, and to assist Libya and relevant international institutions, as requested, in completing these efforts. The U.S. delegation praised Libya's record of cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency and underscored that Libya was setting a standard for others to follow.
The two sides held detailed discussions on Libya's commitment to support the global war on terrorism, to repudiate the use of violence for political purposes, and to implement its pledge to cease all support for terrorism. These discussions provided an opportunity to address recent public allegations regarding Libya and Saudi Arabia. The U.S. team also encouraged Libyan efforts to resolve the pending terrorism cases in U.S. courts.
The U.S. delegation expressed condolences for the suffering of the HIV/AIDS-infected children and their family members in Benghazi, and reiterated the American offer of medical assistance. At the same time, it called upon Libya to meet the deep and clearly expressed concerns of the international community about the Bulgarian medics.
The U.S. team urged Libya to abide by its commitments under international human rights treaties and covenants, noted recent positive statements by Libya's leadership on internal reform, and encouraged rapid implementation. In the context of discussing individual cases of concern, Assistant Secretary Burns noted the President's commitment that "should Libya pursue internal reform, America will be ready to help its people build a more free and prosperous country."
The U.S. and Libyan delegations also reviewed steps taken by the U.S. to facilitate trade and investment; to continue a dialogue on human rights and economic and political modernization; to facilitate Libya's further integration into the global economy; to increase opportunities for educational travel to the United States; and to broaden people-to-people contacts between the United States and Libya.
Finally, Assistant Secretary Burns formally inaugurated the new U.S. Liaison Office in Tripoli and resumption of direct diplomatic ties. This occurs 24 years after the withdrawal of American personnel and the closure of the U.S. Embassy. He thanked the Government of Belgium for its excellent assistance during that period, and noted that Libya would be taking its own steps to establish diplomatic representation in the U.S. Both sides confirmed that these actions would assist the step-by-step process of strengthening relations as Libya fulfills each of its commitments and the U.S. continues to respond in kind.
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(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=June&x=20040628172022ndyblehs0.5739099&t=livefeeds/wf-latest.html
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