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25/03/2004
Blair meets Gaddafi for Tripoli talks
Prime Minister Tony Blair has met with the Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi in Tripoli today to offer the "hand of partnership" to the renegade state.
Today's visit, the first by a British Prime Minister since Winston Churchill in 1943, is the result of diplomatic efforts by Britain to re-engage Libya with the international community – and turn its back on weapons gathering.
Last December, Number 10 brokered Libya's signing of the UN conventions governing the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction – paving the way for today's meeting.
Mr Blair said yesterday that today's efforts were about recognising and welcoming change when it happens – but he added that the rehabilitation of Libya did not mean "forgetting the pain of the past".
The Opposition pointed out today that the timing of Mr Blair visit was unfortunate, given that he flew into Tripoli just hours after attending a Madrid memorial service to the 190 victims of the recent terror bombings.
The Madrid atrocity ranks behind the bombing of Pan Am flight 103 as the worst-ever attack in Europe. A Libyan secret service agent, Abdelbaset Al Megrahi, is serving life for his involvement in the 1988 attack which caused the deaths of 270 people.
Opposition Leader Michael Howard said: "It is quite odd timing to go from a service which commemorates the victims of the biggest terrorist attack on Europe since Lockerbie, to go straight from there to Libya. I imagine it will cause considerable distress to the families of the victims of Lockerbie."
Shadow Foreign Secretary and Deputy Conservative leader Michael Ancram has written a letter to 10 Downing Street advising Mr Blair to "sup with a long spoon" when he meets Colonel Gaddafi.
An undiplomatic spanner was thrown into the works last month, when the country's prime minister said that Libya was not responsible for the Lockerbie bombing and paid out compensation to the families of the victims in order to "buy peace".
In an interview with Radio 4's 'Today' programme, Dr Shukri Ghanem suggested that sanctions against Libya had had a crippling effect on the nation's economy, forcing it to adopt a policy of buying its way out of trouble.
Last year, the families of the Lockerbie bomb victims received compensation totalling around £2.2 million each.
Dr Ghanem went on to say that his country did not accept responsibility for the death of Wpc Yvonne Fletcher, who was shot outside the Libyan embassy in London in 1984 during a protest by an anti-Gaddafi group.
(gmcg)
Today's visit, the first by a British Prime Minister since Winston Churchill in 1943, is the result of diplomatic efforts by Britain to re-engage Libya with the international community – and turn its back on weapons gathering.
Last December, Number 10 brokered Libya's signing of the UN conventions governing the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction – paving the way for today's meeting.
Mr Blair said yesterday that today's efforts were about recognising and welcoming change when it happens – but he added that the rehabilitation of Libya did not mean "forgetting the pain of the past".
The Opposition pointed out today that the timing of Mr Blair visit was unfortunate, given that he flew into Tripoli just hours after attending a Madrid memorial service to the 190 victims of the recent terror bombings.
The Madrid atrocity ranks behind the bombing of Pan Am flight 103 as the worst-ever attack in Europe. A Libyan secret service agent, Abdelbaset Al Megrahi, is serving life for his involvement in the 1988 attack which caused the deaths of 270 people.
Opposition Leader Michael Howard said: "It is quite odd timing to go from a service which commemorates the victims of the biggest terrorist attack on Europe since Lockerbie, to go straight from there to Libya. I imagine it will cause considerable distress to the families of the victims of Lockerbie."
Shadow Foreign Secretary and Deputy Conservative leader Michael Ancram has written a letter to 10 Downing Street advising Mr Blair to "sup with a long spoon" when he meets Colonel Gaddafi.
An undiplomatic spanner was thrown into the works last month, when the country's prime minister said that Libya was not responsible for the Lockerbie bombing and paid out compensation to the families of the victims in order to "buy peace".
In an interview with Radio 4's 'Today' programme, Dr Shukri Ghanem suggested that sanctions against Libya had had a crippling effect on the nation's economy, forcing it to adopt a policy of buying its way out of trouble.
Last year, the families of the Lockerbie bomb victims received compensation totalling around £2.2 million each.
Dr Ghanem went on to say that his country did not accept responsibility for the death of Wpc Yvonne Fletcher, who was shot outside the Libyan embassy in London in 1984 during a protest by an anti-Gaddafi group.
(gmcg)
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Following on from Tony Blair's visit to Libya last month, it has been announced that Trade Minister Mike O'Brien will visit Libya tomorrow on a two-day visit. Mr O'Brien, who visited the north African nation in August 2001, was the first time a British Minister met the Libyan leader.
Minister visits Libya to foster trade links
Following on from Tony Blair's visit to Libya last month, it has been announced that Trade Minister Mike O'Brien will visit Libya tomorrow on a two-day visit. Mr O'Brien, who visited the north African nation in August 2001, was the first time a British Minister met the Libyan leader.
21 October 2011
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The death of Libya's former leader Muammar Gaddafi has prompted an Ulster MP, Lagan Valley representative Jeffrey Donaldson, to further press for settlement of legal claims by IRA victims against the former dictator's regime.
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Libya 'To Resist' IRA Victims' Compensation Claims
Libya will resist demands for compensation payouts from the families of victims of IRA bombings, Sky News has reported. Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, the son of Libyan leader Colonel Gaddafi, told Sky News that any claims of compensation from victims of bombings where Libya supplied the IRA with Semtex, would be a matter for the courts.
Libya 'To Resist' IRA Victims' Compensation Claims
Libya will resist demands for compensation payouts from the families of victims of IRA bombings, Sky News has reported. Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, the son of Libyan leader Colonel Gaddafi, told Sky News that any claims of compensation from victims of bombings where Libya supplied the IRA with Semtex, would be a matter for the courts.
26 October 2009
Gaddafi Issues Shooting 'Apology'
There was new hope for relatives of IRA terror victims this weekend with news that Libyan leader Muammar al Gaddafi had not only apologised for the 1984 death of WPC Yvonne Fletcher - shot outside the Libyan embassy in London - but also indicated that a deal had been struck with Britain over IRA victim compensation.
Gaddafi Issues Shooting 'Apology'
There was new hope for relatives of IRA terror victims this weekend with news that Libyan leader Muammar al Gaddafi had not only apologised for the 1984 death of WPC Yvonne Fletcher - shot outside the Libyan embassy in London - but also indicated that a deal had been struck with Britain over IRA victim compensation.
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