Libya denies talks in Washington broached issue of human rights

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Libya denied that discussions in Washington between its foreign minister and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice broached the topic of human rights. Rice and Libyan Foreign Minister Abdel-Rahman Shalqam met Thursday for the highest level talks between the two countries in Washington in 35 years, capping years of improving ties since Libya agreed to abandon its weapons of mass destruction programs, renounce terrorism and pay compensation to the families of victims of several attacks. "There was absolutely no mention of the human rights situation in Libya during the discussions in Washington between the foreign minister and the US foreign minister," Libya's Foreign Ministry said Friday in a statement. It said the talks focused on bilateral relations and working towards peace in Sudan's embattled Darfur region.