US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice (left) at meeting with Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi (in white)

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says U.S.-Libyan relations are "off to a good start" after she met with Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi during a landmark visit to Libya's capital, Tripoli. 

Rice is the first top U.S. diplomat to travel to Libya in 55 years. Her visit marks a revival of U.S.-Libyan ties after decades of hostility. Secretary Rice met Mr. Gadhafi Friday at his Tripoli residence. 

At a news conference after the talks, she said the two sides discussed cooperation in trade, culture and education. 

Libya is a major oil exporter. Libyan Foreign Minister Mohammed Abdel-Rahman Shalgam told the same news conference that the parties also talked about counter-terrorism and the situations in Iraq and Sudan's troubled Darfur region. Rice says her visit shows that Washington does not have permanent enemies, but she says the U.S. and Libya still have a long way to go to advance their relations.