Oh so that’s why the Poodle is there……..

TRIPOLI (AFP) - Libya announced on Tuesday it will sign a 900 million dollar exploration deal with British energy giant BP, which London says plans to return the north African country after a 33 year absence.

“We are going to sign with BP an oil exploration and prospecting accord on Libyan territory worth 900 million dollars,” said the head of Libya’s National Oil Corporation Shokri Ghanem.

Later he clarified that the agreement focused solely on gas prospecting in the Sirte region 500 kilometres (310 miles) east of Tripoli and at Ghdamess 700 kilometres (435 miles) south of the capital.

The announcement came ahead of a visit to the oil-rich nation by British Prime Minister Tony Blair who is starting a tour of Africa before he leaves office next month.

“BP will be announcing that they’re going back into Libya,” a spokesman for Blair said, confirming that the outgoing premier was due to hold talks with Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi.

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