Libya on relations with US

Libya has indicated that it wants to re-establish relations with the United States, which were broken off nearly twenty years ago.

In an interview with the French news agency, a Libyan Foreign Ministry official, Hasuna Shaush, said that a normalisation of relations would have a positive effect for the Middle East region and the world.

He said the two countries could make a new start through dialogue and mutual interest.

In a reference to Libya's recently improving relations with Europe, Mr Shaush said that the United States must realize the importance of Libya, just as European countries had.

In March this year, an American delegation visited Libya for the first time since 1980. Washington broke off relations with Tripoli the following year, accusing it of supporting terrorism.

It now regards Libya as a state of concern.

In April this year, the United Nations suspended sanctions against Libya after it agreed to hand over for trial two suspects in the Lockerbie bombing in 1988.

Britain has since normalised relations with Tripoli.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service