TRIPOLI,
September 19 (IslamOnline.net) - Hoping to reverse effects of
international long-standing sanctions and end years of isolation
marked by tough politics and strained relations with many of
countries, Libya is to host a conference entitled "To know each
other".
"It
is a concerted effort to find a common ground with the other as a step
leading to dialogue," said Ibrahim al-Rabou of the organizing
committee of the conference which will be held in the capital Tripoli
on September 20-23.
But
the organizers insisted that the event, the first since the U.N.
Security council sanctions were lifted few days ago, is not to tackle
political issues in order to avoid what Al-Rabou called
"political chaos" witnessed by other gatherings.
"We
sent an invitation to the U.S. ambassador to Malta, and he rejected
the invitation," said Al-Rabou, with a defiant formal tone, in a
news conference.
Washington
and Tripoli have no exchange of diplomatic representation, making such
dealing be made through a third country.
"But
look, the ambassador sent a letter of apology for not attending, in
which he expressed an appreciation for the event," said Al-Rabou,
proudly this time at what seems to be a mixed message that accords
with Washington's stick-and-carrot formula.
The
U.S. still insists that its sanctions against Libya will remain,
regardless of whether international sanctions were removed, something
that left many here as furious as feeling betrayed since the Lockerbie
crisis was settled with Libya after paying 2.7 billion dollars to
families of the victims.
"So,
how can you open a dialogue with a party insisting to degrade the
other and set itself as an example that the whole world should
follow," said Abdel-Ati Abdel-Jalil, the press coordinator.
"Dialogue
between cultures and civilizations now is marred by exclusion and
inequality between parties engaged in it," he lamented.
So,
the way is still long for this poor, however oil-rich, country to
arrive at normal relations with the super power and its allies.
"But
we are sure it is a step forward towards closing ranks and ending
differences," said Ahmed Zayed, another organizer.
"It
is a way for Libya to open up, at least," said Brandon Manning, a
reporter for South African network AFRISAT, which sent a large cast
for the event.
"We
could launch dialogue as long as each party doesn’t try to overpower
the other," said Nasr Farid Wasel, the former Mufti of Egypt and
one of the participants.
