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French and Libyan Leaders Meet

French President Jacques Chirac met with Libyan dictator Mu’ammar Al-Qadhafi on Wednesday in the first visit to Libya by a French leader since 1951.

Chirac said Paris seeks “a true partnership” with Libya following years of tension with Tripoli.

Al-Qadhafi said he was happy to “meet a friend,” according to the London-based Al-Hayyat and that they have ironed out the differences between the two countries. He also thanked Chirac for France’s stand on Iraq and for his involvement with treating the late Palestinian leader Yassir Arafat.

Libya has agreed to pay compensation for the victims of the bombing of a French airliner over Niger in 1989, an attack that killed 170 people, including 54 French nationals. It has also agreed to compensate families of victims of the Pan Am attack, an American aircraft which was bombed above the Scottish town Lockerbie in 1988 killing 270 people.

Last year Al-Qadhadfi declared that Libya would suspend its nuclear program.

These measures have increased Libya’s standing in the international community and sanctions were consequently lifted.

Chirac said he would like to enhance relations with Libya in combating terror and illegal immigration, and strengthening economic and tourism cooperation, Al-Hayyat reported.