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Blair in Libya for Gaddafi talks Blair in Libya for Gaddafi talks
(about 3 hours later)
Tony Blair has arrived in Libya at the start of a week-long tour of Africa seen as highlighting what he believes to have been foreign policy successes.Tony Blair has arrived in Libya at the start of a week-long tour of Africa seen as highlighting what he believes to have been foreign policy successes.
The prime minister will also visit Sierra Leone and South Africa in his last big tour before stepping down.The prime minister will also visit Sierra Leone and South Africa in his last big tour before stepping down.
Ahead of his trip Downing St said BP would be announcing a return to Libya - showing the "benefit of re-engagement".Ahead of his trip Downing St said BP would be announcing a return to Libya - showing the "benefit of re-engagement".
Mr Blair is hoping to focus attention on Africa and climate change ahead of the forthcoming G8 summit.Mr Blair is hoping to focus attention on Africa and climate change ahead of the forthcoming G8 summit.
Spotlight on AfricaSpotlight on Africa
He will meet Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, who Britain and the US persuaded to give up ambitions on nuclear weapons in 2003. He met Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, who Britain and the US persuaded to give up ambitions on nuclear weapons in 2003.
He last met Mr Gaddafi in 2004 and says he has a "very good relationship" with him even though the country was once "an outcast in the international community".He last met Mr Gaddafi in 2004 and says he has a "very good relationship" with him even though the country was once "an outcast in the international community".
"Our relationship with Libya has been completely transformed and is now a completely productive relationship for us.""Our relationship with Libya has been completely transformed and is now a completely productive relationship for us."
He said there would be announcements on "a whole series of measures on future co-operation on counter-terrorism and commercial contracts as well".He said there would be announcements on "a whole series of measures on future co-operation on counter-terrorism and commercial contracts as well".
Afterwards Mr Blair will travel to Sierra Leone, where he sent British troops to restore order in the early days of his premiership.Afterwards Mr Blair will travel to Sierra Leone, where he sent British troops to restore order in the early days of his premiership.
From there he will head to South Africa.From there he will head to South Africa.
The South African government has said Mr Blair will hold talks with President Thabo Mbeki and deliver a major policy speech on Africa during his stay in the country.The South African government has said Mr Blair will hold talks with President Thabo Mbeki and deliver a major policy speech on Africa during his stay in the country.
Mr Blair's official spokesman said the trip was about "showing that we need to keep re-engaging on Africa as a whole".Mr Blair's official spokesman said the trip was about "showing that we need to keep re-engaging on Africa as a whole".
He said Sierra Leone was approaching its first elections since the UN left, and "that's only possible because of continuing engagement from countries such as ourselves".He said Sierra Leone was approaching its first elections since the UN left, and "that's only possible because of continuing engagement from countries such as ourselves".
The spokesman said that since Mr Blair's 2004 visit to Libya "we've continued to re-engage on a political level, with ministerial visits".The spokesman said that since Mr Blair's 2004 visit to Libya "we've continued to re-engage on a political level, with ministerial visits".
DarfurDarfur
He added: "We've also continued to re-engage at an economic level and today BP will be announcing that they are going back into Libya.He added: "We've also continued to re-engage at an economic level and today BP will be announcing that they are going back into Libya.
"So re-engagement with countries - whether it's Libya or Sierra Leone or Africa in general - works.""So re-engagement with countries - whether it's Libya or Sierra Leone or Africa in general - works."
South Africa was an important player and was also a member of the UN Security Council and therefore "an even more important voice on issues such as climate change, but also regional issues such as Darfur".South Africa was an important player and was also a member of the UN Security Council and therefore "an even more important voice on issues such as climate change, but also regional issues such as Darfur".
The humanitarian crisis in the Sudanese province of Darfur is also likely to be high on the agenda as he talks with African leaders.The humanitarian crisis in the Sudanese province of Darfur is also likely to be high on the agenda as he talks with African leaders.
Downing Street said that "all three countries he will visit illustrate, in different ways, the benefits of this Government's active, values-driven foreign policy engagement with Africa".Downing Street said that "all three countries he will visit illustrate, in different ways, the benefits of this Government's active, values-driven foreign policy engagement with Africa".