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Past Problems Linger as U.S.-Libya Relations Warm

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice met with Libya's Foreign Minister Abdel-Rahman Shalqam on Thursday, the latest sign of warming ties after Libya gave up its nuclear weapons program. But human rights activists say the visit tells another story — that the Bush administration's democracy agenda is dead.

The brother of one jailed Libyan dissident says the State Department is putting out a welcome mat for the Libyan regime and turning its back on dissidents despite promises by President Bush that he would be the "dissident president."

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Michele Kelemen has been with NPR for two decades, starting as NPR's Moscow bureau chief and now covering the State Department and Washington's diplomatic corps. Her reports can be heard on all NPR News programs, including Morning Edition and All Things Considered.