( Reuters ) - Libya and France will sign an accord on cooperation on a military-industrial partnership during a visit by French President Nicolas Sarkozy that began on Wednesday, Libyan officials said.
Sarkozy is seeking to deepen political and trade relations with the oil-producing North African country.
"There will be the signing of an agreement on cooperation on a military-industrial partnership," Libyan Foreign Minister Mohammed Abdel-Rahman Shalgam told reporters.
He said the two sides would also sign an accord activating what he called a previous agreement on cooperation on the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. He did not elaborate.
Libya said in February it had signed a memorandum of understanding with France's Areva company allowing it to explore for and mine uranium "for peaceful purposes".
A Libyan statement at the time did not say whether the uranium, if found, would be used for domestic nuclear purposes or exported.
Areva is the world's biggest maker of nuclear reactors and its activities cover the full nuclear energy cycle from mining to waste.
Libya cast off more than a decade of international ostracism in 2003 when it accepted responsibility for and began paying compensation for the bombing of airliners over Scotland and Niger in 1988 and 1989.
Libyan officials said other accords on migration, culture, science and education would be signed.
