Libya: Background and U.S. Relations
Abstract
On May 15, 2006, the Bush Administration announced its intention to restore full diplomatic relations with Libya and to rescind Libya's listing as a state sponsor of terrorism and a country not fully cooperating with U.S. counterterrorism efforts. Presidential Determination No. 2006-14 certified that the government of Libya had not provided any support for international terrorism during the preceding six months and had provided assurances that it would not support acts of international terrorism in the future. Full diplomatic relations were restored on May 31 when the United States upgraded its Liaison Office in Tripoli to an Embassy. A 45-day congressional notification period ended on June 29, and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice removed Libya's listings and ended the associated trade restrictions on June 30, without immediate public announcement. President Bush nominated a career diplomat, Gene Cretz, for the U.S. ambassadorship to Libya on July 11, 2007. The changes mark the culmination of an initial period of improvement and rapprochement in U.S.-Libyan relations that began in December 2003, when the Libyan government announced its decision to eliminate its weapons of mass destruction and long-range missile programs. Administration officials have stated that normalization of U.S.-Libyan relations will provide opportunities for the United States to address specific issues of potential concern to Congress such as political and economic reform, the development of energy resources, and human rights.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 03, 2007
- Accession Number
- ADA480735
Entities
People
- Christopher M. Blanchard
Organizations
- Library of Congress