Swiss ready to end Libyan travel ban to ease tensions that have drawn in European neighbors

Swiss ready to lift travel ban on Libyan officials

GENEVA — Switzerland says it will lift a travel ban on senior Libyan officials to ease tensions in a dispute that has drawn in much of Europe.

The Swiss government expressed hope Wednesday that Libya would respond by ending visa restrictions against citizens of Switzerland and 24 other nations in Europe’s passport-free zone.

The Swiss blacklisted nearly 200 Libyans after back-and-forth recriminations stemming from the arrest by Geneva police of leader Moammar Gadhafi’s son, Hannibal, in 2008 for allegedly beating his servants.

Tripoli retaliated as the blacklisted Libyans were prevented from visiting countries such as France and Germany.

Libya’s restrictions threatened work for Italian and other European companies in the African country.