France and Libya 'sign arms deal'

[Aptrgangr]

France and Libya 'sign arms deal'

Libya has signed contracts with France to buy anti-tank missiles and radio communications equipment worth $405m (£199), Libyan officials have said.
The arms deal will be Libya's first with a European country since an embargo was lifted in 2004.

The deal comes after the release last month of six Bulgarian medics held in Libya accused of deliberately infecting children with HIV.

French officials deny any link between the arms deal and the medics' release.
Libyan officials speaking to reporters anonymously said Libya was purchasing Milan anti-tank missiles worth $230m and radio communications equipment worth $175m.

Normalised ties
The six medics were freed on 24 July and flown to Bulgaria after years of negotiations that concluded with French mediation.

They were released in exchange for medical assistance and the normalisation of ties between Libya and the EU.

The following day French President Nicolas Sarkozy met with Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi in Tripoli and signed agreements on a range of issues including security, health care and immigration.

Mr Sarkozy's office has denied that any arms agreements were signed during that visit.
The five nurses and a Palestinian-born doctor, who served eight years of the life sentences they received, had always maintained they were innocent.
They were pardoned by the Bulgarian president on their arrival in Sofia.

BBC NEWS | Africa | France and Libya \'sign arms deal\'

[Theobald]

A very wise move from Sarkozy. The only problem is that he doesn't do it in order to weaken American influence, but to strenghten it through other, diverted ways.