Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

Libya Says Qaddafi Government Held Talks With U.S.

July 19, 2011

A Libyan government spokesman says that representatives of Muammar Qaddafi's embattled government have held face-to-face talks with U.S. officials on repairing ties between the countries.

A U.S. statement issued in New Delhi, where Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is on an official visit, said the meeting "was not a negotiation," but was merely "the delivery" of the message and that no future meetings were planned.

The meeting came after the July 15 decision by the United States and more than 30 other countries meeting in Istanbul to recognize the eastern-based rebels fighting the government as the country's legitimate representatives.

Libyan spokesman Moussa Ibrahim told reporters in Tripoli that the talks were held on July 16 but he refused to say where or which officials took part.

compiled from agency reports

Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/libya_says_qaddafi_government_met_with_us/24269698.html

Copyright (c) 2011. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.