Libya's Gaddafi meets British PM, US President for first time

In a 40-minute meeting between the two leaders, conducted in Arabic and English, Brown insisted he could not intervene in the Megrahi case. Scottish judges this week delayed completing an appeal into Megrahi's conviction until at least September, even though he has prostate cancer and faces a risk of dying in prison.

The bombing of flight Pan Am 103 over Lockerbie in 1988 killed 270 people on the aircraft and the ground.

Brown also raised the stalled investigation into WPC Yvonne Fletcher's death in 1984. No one have ever been convicted of her killing, and a Scotland Yard inquiry faltered in 2007 when Libya refused to make key witnesses available. The Libyans have admitted responsibility for Fletcher's killing by embassy staff and have paid compensation, but Britain is complaining that Libya is not producing witnesses, meaning the inquiry has stalled for more than a year.

Brown also called on Gaddafi to help bring about the return of six-year-old Nadia Fawzi, who was abducted by her Libyan father in 2007.

The two leaders also talked about the current volatility in oil prices and agreed on the need to maintain a close dialogue between the major oil-consuming countries and producers, as well as the need for greater transparency in the oil markets. 

Brown and Gaddafi had a long discussion on Africa and their "strongly shared view" that the continent needed better representation in international institutions such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank. Brown underlined that Africa was not responsible for the current global recession and should be protected from its consequences. He offered British help in developing Libya's healthcare system, which was accepted.

Libyan leader Moamer Gaddafi also secured a handshake with U.S. President Barack Obama Thursday, a sign that relations have improved considerably between the U.S. and the North African nation. The two met as they posed for pictures ahead of a G-8 summit dinner hosted by Italian President Giorgio Napolitano.

Denis McDonough, a White House official, said before the meal that Obama would not hesitate to greet Gaddafi. ''He doesn't intend to choose which leaders he'll shake hands with and which he won't: he'll be very happy to greet everyone he meets," he said, adding: ''He wants to see cooperation with Libya continue in sectors such as Tripoli's decision a few years ago to give up its nuclear program, an absolutely voluntary decision that we consider positive."