We also want to thank the Government of Libya for its cooperation after the attacks in Benghazi. As President Obama has made very, very clear, those who killed Americans in Benghazi will be brought to justice, and I emphasize that today. Prime Minister Zeidan and I know what a good friend Chris Stevens was to all of the Libyan people, and the thousands of everyday Libyans who marched in outrage carrying homemade signs thanking Chris for what he had done for them, thanking the United States for what all Americans had done for them, all of that underscores why we must not walk away from the difficult work that Chris Stevens and his cohorts were so dedicated to.
That work will continue, Mr. Prime Minister, and I am pleased to tell you that we will soon be sending Deborah Jones to Libya as our new ambassador. And she is a very capable and experienced diplomat, and I have no doubt that she’s going to help to strengthen the partnership between us.
With respect to other issues, let me just say quickly that the United States is committed to promoting stability in Libya, in North Africa, and in the Sahel. So we’re going to discuss further the cooperation on security issues. Just last month at the ministerial meeting in Paris, the United States pledged more assistance for security reform in Libya with particular emphasis on border security, rule of law, building a professional security force and institutions, and the control or destruction of chemical weapons that have been left over from the old regime. We will look for other ways to work together as we go forward in order to make Libya safer and to live up to its full potential.
Finally, in terms of our economic partnership, the United States wants to create an economic environment in Libya that will spur outside investment and foster entrepreneurship. Libya’s long-term prosperity will depend on creating greater opportunities for more people, for all of its citizens, for being an open society and an open economy. So we’re encouraging American businesses to take a look at Libya and to work to promote the kind of stability that will make investment in Libya even more attractive.
