British PM with Gadhafi, excerpt of presser

(25 Mar 2004)

1. British Prime Minister Tony Blair stepping down from plane at airport
2. Blair being greeted by officials and handed flowers
3. Various, Blair walking with officials along red carpet, past honour guard
4. Blair shaking hands with officials
5. Honour guard
5. Various, Blair being led by officials away, over to motorcade, getting into car
6. Various, Blair approaching tent and shaking hands with Moammar Gadhafi
7. Various, Blair sitting next to Gadhafi
8. Blair and Gadhafi shake hands and then sit down again
9. Cameramen
10. Wide shot, Blair and Gadhafi walking into tent
11. Various, camels outside tent
12. Camel
13. British Prime Minister Tony Blair walking to podium
14. Blair at podium
15. SOUNDBITE (English) Tony Blair, British Prime Minister:
"I was particularly struck at our earlier meeting, with Colonel Gadhafi, by his insistence, not only of Libya's determination to carry on down this path of cooperation, but also his recognition that Libya's own future is best secured by a new relationship with the outside world. And the recognition also of a common cause with us in the fight against al-Qaida extremism and terrorism which threatens not just the Western world, but the Arab world also."
16. Wide shot, Blair at podium
17. SOUNDBITE (English) Tony Blair, British Prime Minister:
"In reaching out the hand of partnership today, we do not forget the past, but we do try, in the light of the genuine changes happening, to move beyond them. If we can show nations with dangerous nuclear or chemical or biological weapons programs, that they can give them up voluntarily, and be then met with a serious and considered response, it will offer us and them a way forward from the enmity of the past that will improve the lives and security of us all."
18. Wide shot, Blair at podium
19. Photographer
20. SOUNDBITE (English) Tony Blair, British Prime Minister:
"Contrary to some of the propaganda, the United States, the United Kingdom, other Western countries, we do not want to colonise other territories. We do not want to engage in suppressing the freedom of other people. On the contrary, what we want to do is protect our security and give the same security and the same freedom to others. And if we can achieve this with Libya it will be a major step forward. Now we're only at the beginning of this relationship so let us be conscious of that and not get beyond the stage that we're at now. But it is at least a beginning and I think a good one."
21. Blair walking away

STORYLINE:

Setting aside decades of acrimony, British Prime Minister Tony Blair met Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi on Thursday and told reporters that Gadhafi recognised their "common cause" in the fight against al-Qaida extremism and terrorism.

Blair's visit was the first by a British prime minister since Gadhafi took power 35 years ago.

Blair lauded Gadhafi's progress in dismantling his chemical, nuclear and biological programs, under plans he announced in December, and said his cooperation with Britain and the United States sent a strong signal to the Arab world.

He said he was "particularly struck by Col. Gadhafi's insistence at our earlier meeting not only of Libya's determination to carry on down this path of cooperation, but also his recognition that Libya's own future is best secured by a new relationship with the outside world and of a common cause with us in the fight against al-Qaida extremism and terrorism, which threatens not just the west but Arab nations, too."
The visit marked a major step back into the international mainstream for the North African state.
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