French President Jacques Chirac, right, shakes hand with Serbia and Montenegro President Svetozar Marovic upon his arrival at the Elysee Palace, Monday, Nov. 22, 2004 in Paris. (AP)

French President Jacques Chirac is to go to Libya on Wednesday, in the first visit by a French leader since 1951.

Mr Chirac wants to deepen ties with the oil-rich state and continue the process of normalising relations with Tripoli.

The visit also confirms the gradual return of Libyan leader Col Muammar Gaddafi to international acceptance.

It follows a similar trip earlier in the year by UK Prime Minister Tony Blair and then the German Chancellor, Gerhard Schroeder.

Europe lifted its sanctions and arms embargo on Libya after Col Gaddafi denounced terrorism and agreed to stop developing weapons of mass destruction.

The last remaining hurdle to restoring relations with France was overcome in January when Tripoli agreed to pay compensation to the families of those killed when a French airliner was blown up over Niger in 1989.

President Chirac is taking with him a large delegation of business leaders keen to win contracts with the oil-rich state, whose economy is due to be liberalised.

The French leader will stay in Libya on Wednesday night before going on to Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso for a summit of French-speaking nations.

(Agencies)

embargo : a government order imposing a trade barrier（禁运）