(25 Jan 2004) VOICED BY LOUISE BATES

00 00 Pull out of US plane "United States Navy" taxiing on tarmac, Libyan officials waiting
00 06 Close up of US flag painted on plane tail fin
00 09 US Representative Curt Weldon (Rep- Pennsylvania) and others coming down plane steps and greeting Libyan officials
00 33 Weldon with Libyan officials walking on tarmac
00 41. SOUNDBITE (English) Curt Weldon, US Representative:
"Sometime in the future, the sanctions will be lifted and will be repealed and we'll get back to a normal relationship with the people of Libya and the people of America can again become close friends, because I can assure the people of Libya, the American people have no quarrel with the people of Libya.
00 57 Other members of delegation at meeting with Weldon
01 02 Wide of Weldon
01 05 SOUNDBITE (English) Curt Weldon, US Representative:
"This is a mutual process. America can benefit with this new relationship with Libya as much as Libya can benefit with this new relationship (with the United States). Libya is in a critical, strategically critical location at the head of Africa where it can become, I think, an economic market place for other nations on this region so we are very excited."
01 23 Weldon and others leaving
ends 0 1 33
STORYLINE:
A US congressional delegation flew into Tripoli on Sunday for a landmark visit to Libya.
The bipartisan delegation arrived as US and British experts were preparing to start dismantling Libya's weapons of mass destruction programmes with Colonel Moammar Gadhafi's blessing.
VOICER
00 02 When the US delegation touched down, it was the first plane flying an American flag to land in Tripoli for more than thirty years.
00 10 This historic visit from members of the US Congress, was led by Curt Weldon, a Republican from Pennsylvania.
00 17 The civil welcome was in stark contrast to the previously strained relations between the two countries
Accusing Libya of sponsoring terrorism, the US slapped on sanctions two decades ago.
00 27 The thaw began after Colonel Gadhafi's recent pledge to rid his country of weapons of mass destruction.
00 33 Congressman Weldon said he was now confident of a bright future for US -Libyan relations.
00 39 SOUNDBITE (English)
"Sometime in the future, the sanctions will be lifted and will be repealed and we'll get back to a normal relationship with the people of Libya and the people of America can again become close friends, because I can assure the people of Libya, the American people have no quarrel with the people of Libya.
SUPERCAPTION: Curt Weldon, US Representative:
00 57 They also stressed the economic benefits that could come from improved relations with the West, given Libya's key location at the gateway to Africa
01 05 SOUNDBITE (English)
"This is a mutual process. America can benefit with this new relationship with Libya as much as Libya can benefit with this new relationship (with the United States). Libya is in a critical, strategically critical location at the head of Africa where it can become I think an economic market place for other nations on this region so we are very excited."
SUPERCAPTION: Curt Weldon, US Representative:
01 24 The delegation was later expected to meet Colonel Gadhafi - another historic first for the group - before departing for visits to Afghanistan and Iraq.
ends 01 35

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