European Union foreign ministers have agreed to end sanctions against Libya, including an arms embargo.
Italy had argued for the lifting of the 18-year-old arms ban so that it could supply Libya with hi-tech equipment intended to curb illegal migration.
Britain's Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw, told journalists that the decision to lift the sanctions follows the EU's assessment that Libya had done all that was asked of it in respect of the complete abandonment of its weapons of mass destruction programme.
However, Mr Straw added that there is still concern that Libya is holding five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor under sentence of death on charges of deliberately infecting hundreds of children with HIV.
Mr Straw said the EU will continue to press Libya on the matter.
