This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk_politics/6699447.stm
The article has changed 10 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Blair in Libya for Gaddafi talks | Blair in Libya for Gaddafi talks |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Tony Blair has arrived in Libya at the start of a week-long tour of Africa seen as highlighting what he believes to have been foreign policy successes. | Tony Blair has arrived in Libya at the start of a week-long tour of Africa seen as highlighting what he believes to have been foreign policy successes. |
| The prime minister will also visit Sierra Leone and South Africa in his last big tour before stepping down. | The prime minister will also visit Sierra Leone and South Africa in his last big tour before stepping down. |
| Ahead of his trip Downing St said BP would be announcing a return to Libya - showing the "benefit of re-engagement". | Ahead of his trip Downing St said BP would be announcing a return to Libya - showing the "benefit of re-engagement". |
| Mr Blair is hoping to focus attention on Africa and climate change ahead of the forthcoming G8 summit. | Mr Blair is hoping to focus attention on Africa and climate change ahead of the forthcoming G8 summit. |
| Spotlight on Africa | Spotlight on Africa |
| He will meet Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, who Britain and the US persuaded to give up ambitions on nuclear weapons in 2003. | He will meet Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, who Britain and the US persuaded to give up ambitions on nuclear weapons in 2003. |
| He last met Mr Gaddafi in 2004 and says he has a "very good relationship" with him even though the country was once "an outcast in the international community". | He last met Mr Gaddafi in 2004 and says he has a "very good relationship" with him even though the country was once "an outcast in the international community". |
| "Our relationship with Libya has been completely transformed and is now a completely productive relationship for us." | "Our relationship with Libya has been completely transformed and is now a completely productive relationship for us." |
| He said there would be announcements on "a whole series of measures on future co-operation on counter-terrorism and commercial contracts as well". | |
| Afterwards Mr Blair will travel to Sierra Leone, where he sent British troops to restore order in the early days of his premiership. | Afterwards Mr Blair will travel to Sierra Leone, where he sent British troops to restore order in the early days of his premiership. |
| From there he will head to South Africa. | From there he will head to South Africa. |
| The South African government has said Mr Blair will hold talks with President Thabo Mbeki and deliver a major policy speech on Africa during his stay in the country. | The South African government has said Mr Blair will hold talks with President Thabo Mbeki and deliver a major policy speech on Africa during his stay in the country. |
| Mr Blair's official spokesman said the trip was about "showing that we need to keep re-engaging on Africa as a whole". | Mr Blair's official spokesman said the trip was about "showing that we need to keep re-engaging on Africa as a whole". |
| He said Sierra Leone was approaching its first elections since the UN left, and "that's only possible because of continuing engagement from countries such as ourselves". | He said Sierra Leone was approaching its first elections since the UN left, and "that's only possible because of continuing engagement from countries such as ourselves". |
| The spokesman said that since Mr Blair's 2004 visit to Libya "we've continued to re-engage on a political level, with ministerial visits". | The spokesman said that since Mr Blair's 2004 visit to Libya "we've continued to re-engage on a political level, with ministerial visits". |
| Darfur | Darfur |
| He added: "We've also continued to re-engage at an economic level and today BP will be announcing that they are going back into Libya. | He added: "We've also continued to re-engage at an economic level and today BP will be announcing that they are going back into Libya. |
| "So re-engagement with countries - whether it's Libya or Sierra Leone or Africa in general - works." | "So re-engagement with countries - whether it's Libya or Sierra Leone or Africa in general - works." |
| South Africa was an important player and was also a member of the UN Security Council and therefore "an even more important voice on issues such as climate change, but also regional issues such as Darfur". | South Africa was an important player and was also a member of the UN Security Council and therefore "an even more important voice on issues such as climate change, but also regional issues such as Darfur". |
| The humanitarian crisis in the Sudanese province of Darfur is also likely to be high on the agenda as he talks with African leaders. | The humanitarian crisis in the Sudanese province of Darfur is also likely to be high on the agenda as he talks with African leaders. |
| Downing Street said that "all three countries he will visit illustrate, in different ways, the benefits of this Government's active, values-driven foreign policy engagement with Africa". | Downing Street said that "all three countries he will visit illustrate, in different ways, the benefits of this Government's active, values-driven foreign policy engagement with Africa". |