The European Union looked to turn a new page in its relations with Libya on Wednesday as the bloc's executive set out plans for negotiating a deal on trade and reform while also stressing the importance of human rights, according to dpa. "Never will the EU renounce its values and rights - human rights, democracy and the rule of law are fundamental values," EU External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner said. The text proposed by the European Commission mandates the Brussels-based body to negotiate with Libya on behalf of the 27- member bloc on issues including trade liberalization, energy security, economic and social reform, and environmental and cultural cooperation. Human rights, democracy and the sensitive issue of migration are also expected to be key parts of the hoped-for "framework agreement" on future cooperation, Ferrero-Waldner said. "Libya is an important player in the Mediterranean region and Africa, and so far has no framework for relations with the EU," she said. "The launching of negotiations for a new agreement is the successful result of the reciprocal dialogue and engagement started in 2004," she said. The commission's proposed mandate for negotiations comes after four years of talks on key issues such as Libya's arrest of a group of Bulgarian nurses accused of deliberately infecting hundreds of Libyan children with AIDS. The nurses were released in July, removing what Ferrero-Waldner termed "the last stumbling block" to beginning talks on the deal. The commission's draft mandate must now be approved by EU member states. Once it is approved, if negotiations go smoothly, the deal could be signed in approximately 18 months, Ferrero-Waldner said.
