To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if she will make a statement on (a) bilateral relations with Libya and (b) relations between Libya and the EU; (100901)

Bilateral relations between the UK and Libya continue to strengthen. We are engaging with Libya across a broad range of areas, including health, education and training, migration, trade and investment, and counter-terrorism. High-level UK/Libya contact continues. Following a visit to Libya by the then Home Secretary, my right hon. Friend the Member for Norwich, South (Mr. Clarke), in February, I visited Libya from 25 to 27 June and met the Prime Minister, Foreign Minister and Ministers for Justice, Employment, and European Affairs. My noble Friend Lord Kinnock visited Tripoli on 18 to 20 September and opened a new British Council centre.

The UK wants to see relations between the EU and Libya develop. One process through which this could happen is the Euro-Mediterranean (Euro-Med) partnership, in which Libya has observer status. If Libya decided that it wanted to join as a full member, negotiations on a bilateral association agreement would follow. Libya's membership of the Euro-Med partnership would be dependent on Libya accepting the Barcelona acquis.

There are ongoing technical contacts between the EU and Libya. The further development of EU-Libya relations would be encouraged by resolution of the case of the Bulgarian and Palestinian medical workers imprisoned in Libya. General Affairs and External Relations Council Conclusions of 2004 expressed grave concern over the plight of the medics and insisted that Libya resolves remaining EU concerns, notably the medics' case.