LIBYA:US SECRETARY of state Condoleezza Rice last night became the most senior US official to visit Libya in more than half a century when she arrived for a meeting with its leader, Muammar Gadafy.
The visit, which Dr Rice described as historic, was a reward for Col Gadafy's decision over the past seven years to distance himself from extremism and give up weapons of mass destruction.
It was also designed to highlight a rare diplomatic success for the Bush administration in its final months. Washington claims the Iraq invasion is partly responsible for Col Gadafy's decision to surrender a nuclear programme built from components bought from the Pakistani nuclear smuggler AQ Khan.
The visit was kept secret until a few hours before Dr Rice landed. - ( Guardian service)