Ministers want progress in EU-Libya relations

EU foreign ministers will on Monday (15 October) discuss in a closed session a deal struck with Libya last July to secure the release of six medical workers.

Ministers will also call on the European Commission to draft a mandate as a basis for further discussions about the EU’s relations with Libya.

Agreement on the deal had been expected at earlier meetings of EU ministers but some member states insisted that the foreign ministers discuss the broader political situation in Libya, said an EU diplomat. In this context the thorny issue of human rights is expected to be raised. "The discussion will just be the ministers plus one [adviser] and that gives it a feeling that it’s still a delicate issue," another diplomat said.

But some member states, notably the UK and France, are keen to see relations with Libya progress with firms from both countries already active in pursuing deals with Tripoli. "We are positive and now that the Bulgarian medics issue is out of the way we can work on relations with Libya," said a diplomat.

The discussion comes in the wake of a visit to the European Parliament yesterday and today (10-11 October) by the six Bulgarian nurses and the Palestinian doctor who were held in Libya for over eight years. Ashraf al-Hazouz, the Palestinian doctor, said that the EU should "open its human rights file on Libya with a surgical knife". He added: "The EU has a moral responsibility to do that."

The medical workers were sentenced to death following accusations that they infected more than 400 children with HIV. Following a promise of more than €330 million by the Libyan authorities in compensation to the families of the children, the medical workers were released. The Commission announced this money would be paid back through voluntary contributions from member states, non-governmental organisations and private firms.

The controversial memorandum of understanding in July listed Tripoli’s demands as greater trade with the EU, especially in agriculture and fish, allowing more Libyan students to study in Europe, getting EU help in restoring archaeo-logical sites and making it easier for Libyan citizens to travel to the EU.

Diplomats said that while the deal was not legally binding it would form the basis for a future agreement with Libya.

Human rights groups were concerned that the memorandum did not mention human rights or judicial reform in Libya. Amnesty International wrote to Benita Ferrero-Waldner, European commissioner for external Relations, pointing this out and documenting the "many cases of Libyan journalists and dissidents each month who are not receiving fair judicial process".

EU foreign ministers will on Monday (15 October) discuss in a closed session a deal struck with Libya last July to secure the release of six medical workers.