U.S., Libyan relations 'off to a good start' -Rice
ReutersTRIPOLI (Reuters) - U.S. and Libyan relations are"off to a good start," Condoleezza Rice said Friday as shebecame the first U.S. secretary of state to visit the NorthAfrican country in 55 years.
"I think we are off to a good start. It is only a start butafter many, many years, I think it is a very good thing thatthe United States and Libya are establishing a way forward,"Rice told a news conference.
Rice's visit to Tripoli is a tangible sign of warmingU.S.-Libya relations after years of enmity, which began to ebbwhen Tripoli gave up its weapons of mass destruction program in2003.
The U.S. secretary of state said Washington and Tripoliwere working on a "framework" agreement to improve the climatefor trade and investment between the two countries, saying manyU.S. companies are eager to invest in Libya.
She also said the two countries will soon sign an agreementon educational and cultural exchanges, allowing more Libyanstudents to study in the United States and more Americans tovisit Libya.
"All in all, it's been a very fruitful set of discussions,"Rice said at joint news conference with Libyan Foreign MinisterMohammed Abdel-Rahman Shalgam. (Editing by Kristin Roberts)