Sumbited by: Dina Mitkees LIBYA AND EUROPE : ECONOMIC REALISM AT THE RESCUE OF THE QADDAFI AUTHORITARIAN REGIME

 Author : YAHIA H.ZOUBIR  Date :December 2009  Main research question of the article: analyzing the evolution of The Relation between Lybia and the west generally and Europe specifically with special focus on Italy & France

Out line  History of lybia-west relation from 1960’s till 1999  Progress in EU-Lybia relation during the 1990’s  Italian -Lybian relation  Franco-Lybian relation

Three main features of the relation between lybia & the west from the 1960’s till 1990’s  Very tensed relation with USA economically & politically  Tensed poltical relation with European countries  Fruitful Economic relation with European countries

Libyan vision towards the west Arab nationalism & anti imperialism constituted the main foundation of Qaddafi political regime So it was reflected in negative attitude towards the west  Evacuation of the American & british bases  Lybia started to develop weapons of mass destruction  Supporting malta in it’s war against britain  Supporting organizations opposed the western interest

European- Lybian relation  Although the tensed relation between European countries and lybia, Europe was aware with the startegic economic importance of lybia as main oil producer and major importer.  So European countries started bilaterally to engage in fruitful economic relation with lybia  Main trade partners was italy,germany and spain  Contrary to italy, germany and spain the relation with britain was very tensed even economically 

USA-Lybian relation  Unlike European countries USA adopted negative attitude towards Lybia econmically & politacally  Negative relation between USA & Lybia led to unilateral sanction which was imposed by USA on lybia which led to the isolation of lybia to some extent during this period

1999’s as turning point in the relation between EU&Lybia  Although Lybia was excluded from barcelona process in 1995,EU started to open a dialogue with Lybia & it was invited as special guest in 1999 in the Euro-Med conference  Lybia decided in 2003 to abandon it’s nuclear program in addition to it’s previous decision to join the USA war against terrorism  Which led to starting good political relation with EU and USA as well

 European countries recognized that Lybia strategic location with it’s long sea and land is considered as main transit for illegal immigrant  So EU started to provide Lybia with arm supply needed to fight against illegal migration which started to be a major headache for the EU as well as Lybia EU-Lybian cooperation to fight against illegal migration

Italian -Lybian relation The relation between Libya & Italy was always contradictory despite of the negative history of the relation as a former colonial,the relation enhanced significantly during the 1970’s as Italy decided to play an intermediary role between the west and lybia in addition to the expanded economic relation

Italian -Lybian relation cont’s  during the 1990’s a new source of tension arised between the two countries due to the compensation requested from the Lybian side for the criminals done by the Italian during the colonial period  Italy solved the problem in a very diplomatic way by two official apology in 1998& 2oo6  Followed by signing cooperation agreement aiming to compensate Lybia in the form of investment in the Lybian infrastructure

Cooperation between Italy and Lybia in fighting against illegal migration  The strong relation was declared officially in the Italian prime minister Massemo d’alema speech in 1999 who said “ Lybia will become Italy’s bridge to Africa & Italy will be Libya’s door to Europe”  After easing the tension between the two counties,Italy requested the Lybian help to fight against illegal migration  This was translated to official agreement between the two sides to cooperate in fighting against illegal migration  The terms of the agreement remained secret but still there are questions regarding human rights issue which was neglected in the agreement

Franco -Lybian relation  Despite the negative history between the two countries because of the Libyan position during the Chad war 1980’s  But due to the important economic relation between the two counties as france is considered as the 6 th trade partner for Libya,france started to take action towards enhancing it’s relation with Lybia which was represented in the first official visit of Chirac to lybia in 2oo4

Franco -Lybian relation cont’s  France became aware of the economic importance of lybia due to three main reasons 1 st open new market for weapons 2 nd relation between USA and Lybia enhanced considerably and France wants to balance the dominance of USA specially that Lybia is a main oil supplier 3 rd competition faced France from other European countries specially UK as the existence of oil companies in Lybia began to increase We can conclude that the relation between lybia and france based mainly on mutual economic interest, lybia needs weapon and france needs oil. At the other hand france igonored the human rights issue in lybia

Conclusion  The relation between lybia and European countries during the history was always based on mutual benefit each side became aware with what he needs from the other  During the 1960’s till 1999 which was characterized with tensed political relation - EU benefit from Lybia as main producer of oil - Lybia benefit from European countries to break the the sanction which was enforced by USA.  From 1999 a dialogue started between EU & Lybia -Lybia supported EU to fight against illegal migration -EU supplied Lybia with the needed weapons

 By abandoning it’s nuclear program Lybia was able to reach unconditional good relation with the west generally & Europe particularly Based on mutual economic benefits and ignoring issues of human rights,democracy…etc So the relation between Lybia and European countries was always a win –win game

Thanks