Libya confirms reaching some agreement on Lockerbie
Libya-France, Politics, 8/15/2003

Libyan sources confirmed yesterday news of reaching a settlement agreement with the US and Britain concerning the Lockerbie case following the Tripoli's announcement to pay compensations for the families of the victims of the case.

The secretary of the Libyan people's general committee for foreign contacts and international cooperation Abdul Rahman Shalqam said that an agreement was finalized through direct negotiations with each of the US and Britain. He stressed in statements to al-Jazeera TV yesterday that, according to the agreement Libya does not bear any criminal responsibility for Lockerbie incident.

On the other hand, the British daily Financial Times said yesterday that Libya approved to admit responsibility in the Lockerbie issue after it had received confirmation from London and Washington that no legal pursue will be taken against its government.

The British paper dedicated its front page to declare that the families of the victims of the American nationality were summoned to the US Department Of State on Friday in order to be notified on the content of the agreement in which Libya is presumed to admit responsibility to this incident which resulted in killing 270 persons in 1988.

In a statement to the Financial Times, lawyer Saad Jabbar said that all sides have realized that this admission will not be considered as an evidence that can be used against the Libyan government. Lawyers of the Lockerbie victims said that the agreement with Libya states that Tripoli will send a message to the UN security council in which it announces its acceptance to the conditions of lifting the sanctions and to shoulder responsibility for the incident.

Sources at the UN said that Libya has approved to send a message to the UN security council in which it claims responsibility for downing the Boeing 747 plane over Lockerbie village on December 12, 1988 and this resulted in killing 257 persons who were on board of the plane and other 11 on the ground.

The sources expected that Libya would have handed over this message yesterday ( Thursday ) to the UN security council so as after that, a declaration will be made on the details of the agreement.

News reports said that each and every family of the victims will get a compensation of 10 million dollars on installment bases to be paid at phases linked to lifting UN sanctions imposed on Tripoli and then lifting the American sanctions and removing Libya's names from the US list on terrorism- sponsor states. The families will get the first payment of compensations immediately after lifting the UN sanctions.

Worth noting that even with UN sanctions being lifted, the US sanctions may not be lifted if the US demands further requirements from Libya, as it has done in the past in its negotiations, once UN demands are met, and it is not clear that once Libya admits guilt, if its financial obligations would continue as far as being sued in US courts for billions of dollars more on an indefinite basis.

France a UN Security Council member who holds veto power that would prevent an agreement also said yesterday on wanting equal treatment for its own airplane bombing incident that "France believes that compensation for the families of the victims of these two abominable attacks is a fundamental component in the resolution of the Libyan case in the UN. It will not compromise on this point. That implies, in particular, that compensation in the UTA affair must be granted on the same basis as that which is to be received by the Lockerbie victims. We maintain continuous contact with our Libyan interlocutors in order to obtain assurances that the legitimate demands of the families of the UTA victims, both French and foreign, are satisfied. We expect to see substantial progress on this point before any lifting of sanctions.Ó

Previous Stories:
  Claims of agreement for the Lockerbie issue   (8/14/2003)
  Speculation that Lockerbie issue expected to be settled shortly   (8/7/2003)
  Washington: Libya has not met demands to solve the Lockerbie issue   (7/29/2003)
  Efforts to boost Libyan, French relations   (6/18/2003)
  French- Libyan committee meets for first time in 20 years   (10/22/2002)
  Libya pays compensation to France for airplane accident   (7/17/1999)

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