Mandela angered by continued sanctions against Libya

Former South African President Nelson Mandela, has lashed out at the US and British governments over their decision to maintain sanctions against Libya despite the conclusion of the Lockerbie airline bombing trial Wednesday.

Panafrican news agency (PANA) which reported the news recalls that Mandela was instrumental in breaking the deadlock in the 12-year saga when he appealed to Libyan leader Col. Moammar Kadhafi, to allow two Libyan suspects to be extradited to the Netherlands for trial.

He said Britain and the US had agreed that sanctions would be lifted and "not merely suspended" when the suspects were handed over.

Speaking to reporters in Cape Town Thursday night, Mandela said he expected the West to honor that undertaking.

"They (sanctions) must be lifted. For international affairs to be a success, agreements made must be honored. Once an agreement has been dishonored, it is an introduction to chaos," Mandela said.

He said he planned to meet with US President George W. Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair to persuade them to lift all sanctions against Libya.

The sanctions, which include commercial flights embargo and some trade restrictions, were imposed by the United Nations after Tripoli initially refused to hand over the two Libyans suspected of bombing an American Pan Am flight 103 killing 270 people off the Scottish city of Lockerbie in 1988.

A Scottish court Wednesday delivered a life sentence on Libyan national Abdel Basset Ali al-Megrahi but acquitted the second accused.

Mandela said he wanted to study the court judgement before making a detailed comment.