LONDON, Feb. 6 (Xinhuanet) -- Senior officials from Britain, the United States and Libya held talks here Friday amid reports that the meeting was expected to focus on Libya's process of scrapping its weapons of mass destruction (WMD).

    "An official level meeting is taking place today between British, US and Libyan officials," a Foreign Office spokeswoman said.

    "But that is part of a series of ongoing discussions to cover the full range of bilateral issues," the spokeswoman said without commenting further on the details of the meeting.

    However, British media reported that William Burns, US assistant secretary of state for the Near East, is leading the US delegation at the meeting which some analysts say reflects Washington's desire to make some gesture to reward Libyan leader Omar Muammer lal Gaddafi's decision to give up his WMD programs.

    The meeting could lead to the opening of a US diplomatic interests office in Tripoli and the easing of travel restrictions on US citizens, a US official was quoted as saying by the Financial Times on Friday.

    However, the paper said there was little expectation in Washington of an immediate lifting of economic sanctions against the north African country.

    Last December, after nearly a year of secret talks with the US and Britain, Libya announced its decision to dismantle all its WMDs and quit programs for developing chemical and nuclear weapons and long-range missiles.

    The decision followed the United Nations Security Council's lifting of UN sanctions against Libya last September after Libya agreed to pay 2.7 billion US dollars in compensation to families of the Lockerbie bombing victims and accept responsibility for the bombing.

    Many countries have welcomed Libya's decision and US President George W. Bush pledged to reward Libya's steps toward disarmament, including possibly easing or lifting US sanctions against the country and restoring diplomatic relations. Enditem