Libya's Gaddafi "sorry" for UK policewoman's death

By Avril Ormsby

LONDON (Reuters) - Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi said "we are sorry" for the 1984 killing of a British policewoman outside the Libyan embassy in London which led Britain to suspend ties between the two countries for years.

Yvonne Fletcher died after being hit by shots fired from the embassy during a demonstration against Gaddafi.

"She is not an enemy to us, and we are sorry all the time and (offer) our sympathy, because she was on duty, she was there to protect the Libyan embassy, but this is the problem that should be solved -- but who did it?" Gaddafi said in an interview with Sky News, to be broadcast on Monday.

Britain's foreign ministry said in a statement: "We agree with him that this issue needs to be resolved.

"Libya can help in the search for answers by allowing the UK police to return to Libya to complete their investigations into the murder of WPC Fletcher."

Relations with Britain were only resumed 15 years later when Libya "accepted general responsibility for the actions of those within the (embassy)...and expressed deep regret to the family" to whom it agreed to pay compensation.

Gaddafi said Britain and Libya had enjoyed good economic relations, even when diplomatic ties had been broken.

The United States in late 2003 began a process of rapprochement with Libya, after decades of estrangement, because of Tripoli's decision to abandon the pursuit of weapons of mass destruction.