President Jacques Chirac has accepted an invitation to visit Libya this year, French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier announced on Wednesday while visiting the African country. It would be the first trip to Libya by a French president in two decades. Minister Barnier held meeting with his Libyan counterpart Abdel-Rahman Shalqam. Shalqam thanked France for its help in lifting European sanctions on Libya. EU envoys gave provisional approval September 22 to a partial lifting of sanctions, including an arms embargo. EU foreign ministers will make a final decision at a meeting October 11.