Negotiations in Libya, de Villepin is optimist
Libya-France, Politics, 8/23/2003

The French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin said yesterday that representatives of families of the victims of the French Uta plane which had accused Libya of blowing it up in 1989 headed for Libya on Thursday to make consultations with International Charity Foundation Kaddafi which is chaired by Saif Al-Islam Kaddafi, son of Libya's leader on a deal for a better compensation than that they received in 1999.

Meantime, Libya announced its desire to reach an agreement with Paris. The Libyan ambassador in London Muhammad al-Zowi announced that "Libya seeks a calm dialogue with France, and France should not obstruct the solution in Lockerbie issue," stressing that the Qathafi foundation "will reconsider applications submitted by families of the victims in order to reach a humanitarian solution."

Al-Zowi added "the French objection to the UN draft resolution, if carried out, will affect the future of political and economic relations between the two countries." France had hinted at using its veto power against the British draft resolution that provides for lifting sanctions on Libya, but it had reached an agreement with Britain to postpone the vote until next week in order to give enough time to end the negotiations between France and Libya.

In a statement to RTL radio de Villepin expected that the "talks will succeed in the coming hours." He stressed France stand to that the "compensations for the damages which are less that other cases by 300 times (the amount paid) can not be accepted," noting that France supports the principle of lifting trade sanctions imposed on Libya, it however defends also the principle of equality." In its demand for extra compensations for Uta victims, Paris complains that compensations for families of Lockerbie victims reached 10 million dollars per each family far exceeding the compensations of each of Uta victims, which did not exceed 30,000 dollars per family.

Previous Stories:
  Vote for lifting sanctions imposed on Libya postponed   (8/22/2003)
  Libya starts compensation money transfer to victims, sanctions to be lifted next week   (8/21/2003)
  Libya accuses France of blackmail to lifting the UN sanctions   (8/16/2003)

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