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Middle East and North Africa
Libya |
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Last reviewed: February 2008 |
Country information
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
Libyan Relations with the International Community
Africa has occupied a central position in Libyan foreign policy for some years. Libya hosted an extraordinary summit of the Organisation for African Unity (OAU) in September 1999. Libya has lobbied intensively to promote the OAU and its successor organisation, the African Union. Libya set up the Organisation of Saharan and Sahelian States (CENSAD, formerly COMESA) in 1998 to foster regional integration and security co-operation.
Relations with neighbouring Egypt and Tunisia have improved in recent years. Economic links with Egypt are particularly important: there are over 750,000 Egyptian workers in Libya and considerable Libyan investment in Egypt.
Libya is the only Mediterranean rim country which does not have formal relations with the European Union. However Colonel Qadhafi visited Brussels on 27 April 2004. Libya currently attends Barcelona Process meetings as an observer.
The US opened a liaison office in Tripoli in June 2004. After Libya’s removal from the US list of state sponsors of terrorism in July 2006, US/Libya relations were normalised and the liaison office was upgraded to an embassy.
LIBYAN RELATIONS WITH THE UK
The UK broke off diplomatic relations with Libya in 1984 after the shooting of WPC Yvonne Fletcher outside the Libyan People’s Bureau in St James’ Square. Relations deteriorated further following the seizure of the 'Eksund' in 1987 loaded with arms and explosives for the IRA and in November 1991 the Lord Advocate of Scotland issued an arrest warrant for two Libyan officials in connection with the bombing of Pan Am 103 over Lockerbie on 21 December 1988.
Diplomatic relations were resumed on 7 July 1999 following an agreement reached with the Libyans in which they accepted 'general responsibility' for the shooting of WPC Fletcher, made an apology and promised to pay compensation to the Fletcher family (since paid). They also undertook to co-operate with and abide by the findings of the Metropolitan Police investigation into the shooting. The first British Ambassador to Tripoli for 15 years arrived in December 1999. A new Libyan Ambassador arrived in London in January 2001.
Libyan Foreign Minister Shalgam’s visit to London in February 2004 was the first visit to the United Kingdom by a Libyan Foreign Minister since Qadhafi came to power. It helped pave the way for Prime Minister Tony Blair’s visit to Libya in March 2004- the first by a British Prime Minister since 1943. We are now developing relations across the board, including defence, trade, education, environment, health and migration.
Tony Blair visited Libya again on 29-30 June 2007. He met Colonel Qadhafi in Sirte. They discussed international and regional issues, and bilateral co-operation. The Prime Minister’s visit sealed the transformation in the bilateral relationship. The UK and Libya now co-operate across a wide range of areas including, health, education, trade and investment, defence, science and technology, policing and migration. Co-operation documents have been signed in areas including science, visas, and health. Expert-level discussions continue in these and other areas.
Lockerbie
On 21 December 1988, Pan Am Flight 103 was blown up over Lockerbie in Scotland. All 259 passengers and crew were killed, as were 11 residents of Lockerbie. Two thirds of the victims were American and 44 were British.
In November 1991 the Lord Advocate and the US Acting Attorney General issued warrants for the arrest of two Libyans, Al-Megrahi and Fhimah. They were accused of placing a bomb on board the aircraft in Malta, and charged with murder. UN sanctions were imposed in March 1992, after Libya failed to respond satisfactorily to Security Council resolution 731. Sanctions were strengthened in November 1993 by Security Council Resolution 883.
Impasse ensued and UN sanctions remained in force until 1999. During most of this period, Libya maintained that a trial held in Scotland would be unfair. UN Sanctions remained. In August 1998 the UK and US Government agreed to allow the trial to be held before a Scottish court of three judges and no jury sitting in the Netherlands.
This initiative required a further UN Security Council resolution, changes to Scottish and Dutch law and a treaty between the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. The UK and US Governments engaged in a process of intense diplomatic activity to persuade the Libyan Government to comply. On 5 April 1999 Al-Megrahi and Fhimah were flown from Tripoli to the Netherlands. UN sanctions and the EU legislation implementing them were suspended immediately.
The Lockerbie trial began on 3 May 2000. On 31 January 2001 Al-Megrahi was found guilty and Fhimah not guilty. Al-Megrahi subsequently appealed against his conviction. His appeal was refused on 14 March 2002.
On 23 September 2003 A-Megrahi applied to the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission for his conviction to be reviewed. On 28 June 2007 the Commission referred his case back to the High Court, allowing him to appeal against his conviction for a second time.
Trilateral talks began on 13 February 2001 to discuss how Libya could meet the Security Council’s remaining requirements. As a result of these talks, in August 2003 the UK tabled a resolution recommending that the Security Council lift UN sanctions. That resolution was passed by the Security Council on 12 September 2003.
Education/Cultural Relations
The British Council have an office in Tripoli. The Council aims to promote a positive image of Britain among young people and to counter misconceptions about the UK. It is working to increase the number of Libyans studying in the UK in line with the Prime Minister’s student initiative and encourage the use of British goods and services in the education sector.
British Council Libya
Recent Visits
Inward
- Delegation led by Suleiman al Shahumi, Secretary for Foreign Affairs at the General People’s Congress, June 2002
- Dr Abdulhafid Zlitni, Chairman of the Libyan National Oil Corporation, October 2002
- Abdulrahman Shalgam, Foreign Minister, 10 February 2004
- Major General Ahmed Zwai, 13-17 September 2004
- Nasr al-Mabrouk Abdullah, Minister for Public Security, November 2005
- Dr Elgallali, Minister for Higher Education, 31 October-5 November 2004
- Ammar al-Mabruk Eltayef, Tourism Minister, 15-17 November 2005
- Dr Mohammed Rashid, Minister for Health and Environment, February 2007
- Dr Ali Errishi, Minister for Expatriats, Migration and Refugees Affairs, April 2007
- Mustafa Mohammed Abduljalil Minister for Justice Affairs, 2 – 5 May 2007
- Abdurrahman Mohammed Shalgam - Secretary for Foreign Liaison and International Co-operation, 7 January 2008
- Dr Ali Treiki, Minister for African Affairs, 17 January 2008
Outward
- Prime Minister Tony Blair met Colonel Qadhafi in Tripoli, 25 March 2004
- Mike O’Brien MP, Minister for Trade, April 2004
- Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean, FCO Minister of State, 12-14 October 2004
- HRH the Duke of Kent, 8-12 November 2004
- Lord Warner of Brockley, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Department of Health, 20-23 March 2005
- Lord Triesman, FCO Parliamentary Under Secretary of State of State, 4 July 2005
- Hilary Benn MP, Secretary of State for International Development, 4 July 2005
- Charles Clark MP, Home Secretary, 22-23 February 2006
- Bill Rammell MP, Minister of State for Higher Education, 21-23 February 2006
- Ian Pearson MP, Minister of State for Trade, 4-7 March 2006
- Dr Kim Howells, FCO Minister of State, 25 June 2006
- Prime Minister Tony Blair met Colonel Qadhafi in Sirte, 29-30 May 2007
- Dr Kim Howells, FCO Minister of State, 25-26 July 2007
- HRH the Duke of York, 4-10 November 2007
- Alderman David Lewis, Lord Mayor of London, 8-11 March 2008
- Lord Digby Jones, Minister of State jointly with the FCO and BERR, 13 May 2008
