Meguid to discuss with Gaddafi proposals on Lockerbie
Libya-Regional, Politics, 7/27/1998

The secretary-general of the Arab League [AL], Esmat Abdul Meguid, will visit Libya at the beginning of August to discuss with Libyan leader Moammar Gaddafi the US and British soft proposals concerning Lockerbie crisis.

An official at AL headquarters was quoted as saying that "in collaboration with Libya, the AL is drawing an Arab plan to deal with dimensions of the Lockerbie crisis and means of lifting sanctions imposed on Libya in light of the change in the US and UK stances in this respect."

The United States and Britain had earlier announced that they were studying the possibility of prosecuting two Libyans accused of the explosion of a U.S. airliner over Lockerbie in Scotland in 1988 before a Scottish court in the Netherlands.

In this context, Abdul Meguid will on August 2 begin a four-day visit to Libya to hold intensive contacts with high-ranking Libyan officials, foremost being with President Gaddafi.

Arab League Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs who is in charge of the Lockerbie issue, Mohammad Zakaria Ismail, will deliver a letter from Abdel Meguid to the United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan tackling an Arab perception on how to deal with this case.

A League source said that the letter tackles the League's preparation to fully cooperate with the U.N. in order to find a peaceful solution that would guarantee all parties rights and assist in lifting the sanctions imposed on Libya.

Last week it was revealed that both London and Washington are poised to accept that the trial could be held in the Hague, a proposal which was made by Libya more than two years ago.

Meanwhile, "The Observer" reports that Libya said it will "never accept" Britain and American plans to try the two suspects in the Netherlands by an all-Scottish judge team, Map reported.

The Observer newspaper said that London and Washington insist that Libya must surrender the two men to a court of five Scottish judges.

But Tripoli insists only a panel of international judges will guarantee a fair trial, the publication reported.

It quoted "a senior figure" close to the Libyan regime as saying that Scottish judges "lack cultural objectivity."

Meanwhile, the Libyan authorities have agreed to allow one senior Scottish judge appointed by Britain and the US to head the judges in the hague, but insists that the other members come from other countries.

But the unnamed source told the Observer "Libya agrees to a trial in a third country but it must be fair. We accept a Scottish Chairman and a Scottish legal procedure, but we do not believe in would be fair if all the judges came from the country in which the crime took place (Scotland)."

Tripoli will demand an immediate end to trade and travel sanctions imposed by the un Security Council, safe passage for the suspects to and from Netherlands, and guarantees that they will be held alone in secure conditions and will not be interrogated about "other alleged crimes."

Previous Stories:
  US, UK to announce acceptance of Lockerbie settlement Tuesday   (7/25/1998)
  US confirms Libya-Lockerbie trial considerations   (7/22/1998)
  First step in lifting Libya sanctions   (7/21/1998)

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