Brussels, 19/01/2000 (Agence Europe) - EU senior officials charged with follow-up of the Barcelona process, meeting on Tuesday 18 January in Brussels, recommended that Libya be sent an explicit request for clarification of its position on acceptance of the Euro-Mediterranean acquis. It will be recalled that in its "Note Verbale" forwarded to the outgoing Presidency (Finland) meant to seal its acceptance of this acquis, Tripoli introduced an element of ambiguity on the Middle East question, on which details are now being requested before this country's admission to the Barcelona process can be accepted.
In parallel, the Commission spokesman noted that plans to invite Libyan leader Moammar Ghadafy to Brussels are subject to the condition that the meeting not have the sole aim of "having a photograph taken together", but that it represent the prelude to normalisation of Libya's position in the international community. Diplomatic checks are being made to see whether this is indeed the case.