Reply #86: Cameron, Sarkozy on aid visit to Libya [View All]

[pinboy3niner]

By RYAN LUCAS - Associated Press | AP – 22 mins ago


TRIPOLI, Libya (AP) — British Prime Minister David Cameron and French President Nicolas Sarkozy arrived in Tripoli on Thursday — the first heads of government to visit Libya since revolutionary forces seized the capital, a major endorsement for the North African nation's new rulers.

Cameron and Sarkozy planned to meet with the leaders of the National Transitional Council, the closest thing Libya's new rulers have to a functioning government, to discuss aid to help the transition to democracy after four decades of authoritarian rule by fugitive leader Moammar Gadhafi.

France's finance minister said the visit is not about landing economic deals but about showing support for the former rebels who ousted Gadhafi.

Francois Baroin, speaking on France-Info radio, said the visit "is a strong gesture, it is a historic moment to go today to Libya." Asked whether there were economic arguments for the visit, Baroin said, "we are not at that stage."

France's focus is not yet on reconstruction contracts but on supporting the interim leadership and pursuing "the last pro-Gadhafi pockets," he said.

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http://news.yahoo.com/cameron-sarkozy-aid-visit-libya-085253176.html