EU offers Libya friendship
2004-01-03 12:07
Brussels - The head of the European Union's executive has invited Libya to join the trade and aid partnership between the EU and the countries of the Mediterranean basin, the bloc said on Friday.
The offer was made during a telephone conversation on Tuesday between European Commission President Romano Prodi and Libyan leader Muammar Gadaffi and follows an announcement by Tripoli earlier in December that it was giving up its quest for chemical, biological and nuclear weapons.
"The time has come for Libya to join the circle of EU friends," the Commission quoted Prodi as saying.
Prodi was ready to receive Gadaffi in Brussels as soon as possible to formalise Tripoli's membership of the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership, the Commission said in a statement. Gadaffi had replied he was ready to consider such a move.
The Euro-Mediterranean Partnership links the 15-nation EU to 12 countries around the Mediterranean - Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, the Palestinian Authority, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, Cyprus and Malta.
One of its main aims to create an area of shared prosperity through the progressive establishment of a free-trade area coupled with EU aid for economic transition.
Libya currently has observer status at certain meetings of the group.
The EU had previously declined to accept Libya as a full member because of international sanctions against Tripoli in retaliation for the bombing of a PanAm passenger jet over the Scottish town of Lockerbie in 1988.
The United Nations agreed to lift the sanctions in September 2003 when Libya agreed to pay compensation for the bombing.
Gadaffi and Prodi have spoken by phone at New Year for the last five years, the Commission said.