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Rice arrives in Libya for historic talks

05/09/2008

US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice has arrived in Libya ahead of a historic meeting with its leader Muammar Gaddafi.

Ms Rice is the first secretary of state to visit the country since 1953.

Libya was on the US list of state sponsors of terrorism until 2003 when it abandoned weapons of mass destruction and criticised acts off terrorism.

"Quite frankly I never thought I would be visiting Libya so it is quite something," Ms Rice told reporters travelling with her.

"It is a beginning, it is an opening, it is not, I think, the end of the story."

She has previously described her visit as "historic" and reports suggest that the US hopes the trip will send a message to other nations accused of supporting terrorists.

Ms Rice will meet with foreign minister Abdel-Rahman Mohammed Shalgam before joining Colonel Gaddafi later today.