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By Michel Cousins.
Tripoli, 17 September:
The UK-based Middle East Council has postponed its planned trade mission to Libya because of security concerns . . .[restrict]following the killing in Benghazi last Tuesday of American Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other US diplomatic staff. The four-day-mission, which was supposed to have arrived on Saturday, was to have been led by Lord Marland, the UK’s Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Intellectual Property in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
Although it was not going to go to Benghazi, there were plans to bring businessmen from there to Tripoli to meet with members of the mission.
It is not just a matter of security. Officials say the trip was impractical in the present circumstances.
British officials are stressing that this is a postponement, not a cancellation, and that a new date will be set once the situation improves. The MEA are hoping to reschedule it for October.
Another MEA trade mission to Libya is planned for January. [/restrict]
