The US announced on Monday it will restore full diplomatic
relations with Libya and remove the country from its list of
nations that sponsor terrorism.
Both US and Libyan officials welcomed the move. Libyan Foreign
Minister Abdurrahman Shalgham said Monday in Tripoli that the move
marks the "opening of a new era in US-Libyan relations that will
benefit the interests of Americans and Libyans alike."
But the two sides differed on the cause for the improved
relations, as Washington said the move was a reward for Libya's
renunciation of its weapons of mass destruction, but Tripoli
emphasized it was "a result of contacts and negotiation" and was
driven by mutual interests.
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said in a statement on
Monday that the restoration of US-Libyan relations is in
recognition of Libya's continued commitment to its renunciation of
terrorism and its "excellent" cooperation with the US and other
countries in the war on terrorism.
But Libyan Foreign Minister Abdurrahman Shalgham said on the
same day in Tripoli that the restoration of full Libyan-US
diplomatic relations "was a result of contacts and negotiations"
rather than a reward for Libya's dismantling of its weapons of mass
destruction.
Analysts in Tunis said the full restoration of US-Libyan
diplomatic relations was a major US step in improving relations
with Libya since the latter gave up its weapons of mass destruction
in 2003.
The move also came at a time when the US is attempting to shore
up relations with major oil producers because of high oil prices
and shortage of supplies. Libya has substantial oil reserves.
Meanwhile, it is also a result of active efforts by Libya,
which, to develop its domestic economy, is eager to improve its
relations with Washington and the West to get access to foreign
investment and advanced technologies, analysts said.
The two former antagonists have maintained no full diplomatic
relations since 1980, although a thaw in long-standing hostility
enabled Washington to open a diplomatic office in Libya in
2004.
Despite repeated Libyan calls for normal relations instead of
liaison-level contacts, Washington had been demanding Tripoli make
more anti-terror efforts, improve its human rights record, and halt
verbal attacks on Washington.
This year, Libya took a more active approach in relations with
the US, and had repeatedly reached out olive branches to
Washington.
As part of efforts to warm up ties with Washington, Libya had
allowed US companies to return to Libya, worked out a series of
measures catering to US needs such as letting foreign banks open
branches in Libya.
As ties thawed, US companies such as Marathon Oil Corp,
ConocoPhillips and Amerada Hess Corp last year agreed to terms
letting them resume oil and gas production in Libya after a 19-year
absence.
Libya's Foreign Ministry called the US move to normalize
relations with Libya a "significant step" toward improving all
areas of bilateral cooperation.
Though Washington's latest move is expected to remove remaining
obstacles in US-Libyan relations, analysts warned that questions
still remained.
Washington is still alert to possible changes of Tripoli's
attitude toward the US, fearing that Libyan leader Muammar Gadhadfi
may embarrass the US one day with something unexpected, they
said.
On the other hand, Gadhadfi is worried about the prospect that
Washington may attempt to control his country economically and
politically, analysts said.
Libyan leaders have said on many occasions that they would not
put all the eggs in one basket, which means that Libya would
develop relations with all countries, instead of merely relying on
relations with Washington.
(Xinhua News Agency May 17, 2006)
