Rice lands in Libya, says US has no 'permanent enemies'
Historic visit: US Secretary of State Rice arrives in Libya for first such trip since 1953
Rice was set to meet Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi during her brief trip, which Washington hopes will end decades of enmity and violence and comes five years after Libya gave up its weapons of mass destruction program in 2003.
"This demonstrates that the US doesn't have permanent enemies," Rice told reporters travelling with her to Tripoli.
"It demonstrates that when countries are prepared to make strategic changes in direction, the United States is prepared to respond. Quite frankly I never thought I would be visiting Libya and so it is quite something," she said.
"This trip is acknowledging how far the US-Libyan relationship has come, but it is the beginning and not the end of the story."
Later, Rice said that Washington's rapprochement with Libya is motivated by more than just the US need for oil.
Referring to the possible impact of the trip on bilateral ties, Rice told reporters: "It is helpful, but this is a much broader relationship...it has much broader potential than just energy."
But Rice added that Libya, owner of Africa's largest oil reserves, could help in terms of the world's fuel supplies and that it was important to have reliable and multiple source of energy.
'I support my darling black African woman'
After meeting Libya's Foreign Minister Mohammed Abdel-Rahman Shalgam, Rice was expected to share an Iftar dinner with Gaddafi, the traditional meal breaking the fast during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.
Rice held back from visiting Libya until a compensation package was signed last month to cover legal claims involving victims of US and Libyan bombings.
Rice said she was looking forward to meeting Gaddafi - once called "the mad dog of the Middle East" By President Ronald Reagan - and planned to discuss, among other issues, the conflict in Sudan and Libya's "important" Role there.
Gaddafi has in the past expressed admiration for Rice.
"I support my darling black African woman," he said in an interview with al-Jazeera last year. "I admire and am very proud of the way she leans back and gives orders to the Arab leaders," he continued. "I love her very much. I admire her, and I'm proud of her, because she's a black woman of African origin."
After going to Tripoli, Rice is set to visit Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco before returning to Washington on Sept. 7.
