Canada, Libya to establish embassies - Move seen as a sign of improving relations between
Gadhafi and Western countries
The Globe & Mail, November 13
By Alan Freeman
LONDON -- Canada and Libya have agreed to open embassies in each other's capitals as relations between Western countries and Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi continue to improve after the suspension of UN sanctions against the North African nation.
Jacques Simard, Canada's ambassador to Tunisia, who is also accredited to Libya, said in an interview from Tunis that Canada will open a small embassy in Tripoli, the Libyan capital, in January or February. In a parallel move, Libyan diplomats are currently scouting out possible locations for an embassy in Ottawa.
Until now, Canada has maintained a small-interests section within the Dutch embassy staffed by a locally engaged Libyan. The new embassy in Tripoli will be headed by a chargé d'affaires, with Mr. Simard continuing as ambassador.
Until now, Libya has handled relations with Canada through its delegation to the United Nations in New York City.
UN economic sanctions against Libya, which were initially imposed in 1992, were suspended last year after Libya agreed to hand over two of its nationals accused in the 1988 bombing of a Pan American World Airways flight over Lockerbie, Scotland, which killed 270 people. The two men are currently being tried at a special Scottish court set up to handle the case in the Netherlands.
Throughout the duration of sanctions, Canada has maintained diplomatic relations with Libya and Canadian oil and gas exploration companies, including PanCanadian Petroleum and Canadian Occidental, continue to be active in the Libyan petroleum industry. SNC-Lavalin, the Quebec-based engineering firm, is involved in Colonel Gadhafi's Great Man-Made River project, designed to divert large quantities of fresh water for Libya's parched cities.
Mr. Simard said most Western nations now have full embassies in Tripoli.
The British government reopened its embassy in Tripoli last December, 16 years after it was closed to protest against the death of Yvonne Fletcher, a British police officer murdered in 1984 by shots fired from inside the Libyan embassy in London.
The United States still retains heavy economic sanctions against Libya and has no diplomatic relations with the regime but there have been signs of a recent softening. The U.S. State Department is expected to soon lift its ban on travel by U.S. citizens to Libya.
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