Lugard: Qathafi hopes Bush Rice would visit Libya

Chairman of the foreign relations committee at the US Senate, Richard Lugard, said on Saturday that he had conveyed a message from President George W. Bush to the Libyan leader Muammar al-Qathafi who for his part asked Lugard to convey a reply message expressing his wish that President Bush and his Secretary of State Condaleezza Rice will visit Tripoli.

In a press conference in Tripoli, Senator Lugard said he felt a gradual improvement in the relations between the two countries, stressing his country's desire to proceed forward in this matter.

Lugard added "we have a joint care in the two countries to stand in the face of terrorism and increase humanitarian aid in Sudan," noting that he had discussed with al-Qathafi an important issue relating to human rights, economic integration between the two countries and removing Libya's names from the US likst of countries sponsoring terrorism.