US - Libyan talks

The Libyan news agency, JANA, said that Libyans and Americans held their first official meeting in Tripoli since Washington's severing of relations with Libya in 1981.

Libya had expressed its hope that this visit will help the normalization of relations and Washington stressed that the main objective is to help in taking a decision over the possibility of lifting the ban on the travel of the American citizens to Libya.

JANA added that four American officials discussed with officials at the Libyan Foreign Ministry several issues of mutual concern, but the agency gave no more details.

The US delegation arrived in Tripoli on Saturday evening. The Libyan deputy foreign affairs and international cooperation minister, Hasounah Shawish, said that Libya welcomes the delegation and that the visit represents an important step, hoping that other steps will be followed to this effect.

He continued that Libya considers that the "negative chapter" in the relations between the two countries had expired.

Diplomats said that they expect Libyan's handing over of the two Libyans suspected to be involved in the Lockerbie issue for trial will result in resuming relations between Tripoli and Washington.