Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


Libya, US Sign Trade Pact

   VOA News 21 May 2010

   Listen  to  Susan  Yackee's interview with analyst David Mack with the
   Middle East Institute on current relationship between US and Libya:

   The United States and Libya have signed a deal to facilitate bilateral
   trade  and investment, the latest step to defuse past tensions between
   the two countries.
   Economic  officials from both countries signed the framework agreement
   Thursday in Libya's capital, Tripoli.
   The  agreement  mandates  the  formation of a joint council to address
   trade  and  investment  issues  such as market access, labor, and even
   environmental concerns. Â
   The  goal  of  the  council  is  to increase commercial and investment
   opportunities by identifying and removing trade hurdles.
   Ties  between  Libya  and  the  United  States have long been strained
   during  Libyan  leader  Moammar Gadhafi four decades in power.   But
   relations  improved in 2003 after Libya publicly abandoned its weapons
   of mass destruction program.

.