U.S., Libya hold secret talks in Italy

LONDON [MENL] -- The United States and Libya are engaged in secret talks in an effort to improve relations after nearly 20 years of enmity, an Arab newspaper reported on Wednesday.

The Saudi-owned A-Sharq al-Awsat said on Wednesday that Libyan and U.S. representatives are holding secret talks in Italy to normalize relations. They said the talks were arranged by Egypt.

The effort began last month after Libya handed over two suspects in the 1989 TWA bombing for trial in the Hague. Most of the 270 passengers killed in the bombing were Americans.

The Libyan move resulted in a lifting of United Nations sanctions imposed in 1992. Egypt was said to have encouraged Western countries, particularly the United States, to encourage what Cairo said was a turning point in the behavior of the Tripoli regime of Col. Moammar Khaddafy.

In an unrelated development, Syrian sources told the London-based Al Hayat daily that they are approaching a solution to release Jordanian nationals from Syrian jails. They said the issue was discussed during last week's summit between Jordan's King Abdullah and Syrian President Hafez Assad.

The sources said several dozen Jordanian nationals are still in Syrian jails. Earlier reports placed the number at 700.