Matsuda first in Cabinet to meet Gadhafi

The state minister for science and technology held talks Thursday night in Libya with leader Moammar Gadhafi, according to the Foreign Ministry.

It was the first meeting between a Cabinet member and the Libyan leader. Iwao Matsuda and Gadhafi discussed North Korea's nuclear threat and other issues.

Matsuda said Libya's decision to abandon its weapons of mass destruction was a "major contribution to world peace," the Foreign Ministry said.

In 2003, Libya abandoned its chemical, biological and nuclear weapons, and missile program after 11 years of sanctions and diplomatic pressure from the United States and the U.N. Security Council, and submitted to international inspections.