The Senate confirmed the nomination of career diplomat Gene Cretz as the first U.S. ambassador to Libya in 36 years, the State Department said Friday.
Cretz's confirmation by the Senate comes after the United States and Libya cleared the last hurdle to a full normalization of ties with Tripoli in the last few weeks compensating U.S. victims of terrorist attacks in the 1980s. "Done deal. Confirmed," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack told reporters, adding that the confirmation occurred late Thursday. "We're very pleased."
Cretz's appointment by U.S. President George W. Bush had been held up over the compensation issue.
The last U.S. ambassador left Tripoli on November 7, 1972 "because of Libya's support for international terrorism and its subversion of moderate Arab and African governments," the State Department said. |