Libya welcomes lifting European weapons banning
Libya-European Union, Politics, 10/13/2004

Libya has welcomed the decision of the European Union to lift the weapons sales embargo imposed on it since 1986. The Libyan official news agency considered this decision a new victory for Tripoli and a "steadfastness before foreign challenges."

The agency said that the EU decision comes to show the "failure of the sanctions and the threat to use power," and confirms that dialogue and direct negotiations is the best means to solve differences.

On Monday, the foreign ministers of the European Union in Luxembourg unanimously approved an initial agreement reached by the ambassadors of the EU member states on September 22, 2003 in Brussels to lift weapons sales embargo imposed on Libya following pressures made by Italy to this effect.

The EU foreign ministers commended the progress attained by the government of the Libyan leader Muammar al-Qathafi in order to return back to the international community especially his commitment to give up the mass destruction weapons. They urged Libya to maintain further cooperation with the European side in the political and economic aspects.

A representative for the French Foreign minister Michael Barnieh told the press that the EU ministers are studying dispatching a message to Libya to continue on the "rightful path." As from 1999, the EU alleviated the sanctions prescribed on Libya. What remained of the sanctions were the sanctions on weapons sales which was lifted on Monday, the day before yesterday.

Previous Stories:
  EU lifts arms embargo against Libya   (10/12/2004)
  Europe lifts weapons ban from Libya   (9/23/2004)
  Europe discusses lifting the sanctions from Libya   (9/22/2004)

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