Preparations for the first US-Libyan meeting since 18 years

Arrangements for a meeting bringing together US and Libyan officials in the presence of the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan have started in implementation of understanding that will follow as Libya has handed over the two Libyan citizens who are suspected of being involved in the Lockerbie incident.

The US mission to the UN stressed in a statement by its ambassador, Peter Burleigh, that the US is "ready" to convene such a meeting, which will be the first official meeting between the two countries since diplomatic relations were severed between the two countries 18 years ago.

In an open session held on Thursday, the UN Security Council adopted an official decision. It said that Libya has carried out the conditions set out in UN resolution 1192 and this Libyan measure was conducive to "suspending " sanctions imposed on Libya.

The UN Security Council explained in a statement that the suspension started on April 5 when the council received the message of UN Secretary General Annan, which read that the two suspected Libyans were handed over for trial in the Netherlands.

The current chairman of the Security Council, Alain Dejammet of France, in the open session, said Libya is the first Arab state subjected to UN sanctions which has succeeded in getting rid of the sanctions.