The head of the UN nuclear watchdog said today he would travel to Libya next week to assess the North African state's nuclear weapons programme.
General Muammar Gadafy was widely praised for announcing on Friday that Libya was abandoning efforts to build an atomic bomb and other banned weapons.
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Mr Mohamed ElBaradei said he was going to Libya to "kickstart a process of verification" of Libya's arms programme, and said inspections could even start next week.
He told reporters he would notify the IAEA's governing board today about Libya's undeclared nuclear activities which included a uranium enrichment programme that could have been used to make bomb-grade material.
Libya, widely praised for announcing on Friday that it was abandoning efforts to build an atomic bomb and other banned weapons, told the head of the UN nuclear watchdog on Saturday it was ready to sign up to inspections, a Western diplomat said.
"We are turning our swords into ploughshares and this step should be appreciated and followed by all other countries," Libyan Prime Minister Mr Shokri Ghanem.
Libyan Prime Minister Mr Shokri Ghanem
The surprise moves, which could lead to the end of US sanctions and the return of US oil companies, mark an about-face for General Muammar Gadafy, Libyan leader for 34 years.
"We are turning our swords into ploughshares and this step should be appreciated and followed by all other countries," Libyan Prime Minister Mr Shokri Ghanem said of Friday's statement, adding that economic progress was more important than arms.
But Britain, which played a key role in talks that persuaded Tripoli to abandon its arms ambitions, said the fate that befell Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein may have prompted the move.
"We showed after Saddam Hussein failed to cooperate with the United Nations that we meant business and Libya, and I hope other countries, will draw that lesson," Defence Secretary Mr Geoff Hoon said.
In Tripoli, the official Jana news agency said British Prime Minister Mr Tony Blair had "expressed his hope and desire" to meet Gen Gadafy and discuss international affairs with him."
The agency said Mr Blair made the offer in a telephone conversation with the Libyan leader. It did not say when this took place and gave no further details.