Saif al-Islam Kaddafi asks France for resolve outstanding issues in settlement talks

Saif al-Islam Kaddafi, son of Libya's leader and chairman of the International Charity Foundation Kaddafi., yesterday reiterated his country's request to that France to make judicial and financial initiatives to end the negotiations concerning compensations for families over the French Ota plane bombing over Niger in 1989.

Saif al-Islam, who is leading the negotiation on behalf of his country, said in an interview with the French daily "Le Figaro" from London that the "French have to understand: if the want extra compensations, they have to give us something in return." He announced that his country wants "to settle" the problems of 6 Libyans sentenced in absentia by the French judiciary "because of this attack against DC 10 plane of Ota company."

He added Libya "wants financial compensations for the families of three Libyan pilots killed by the French army "during confrontations in Chad in the 1980s. He said "we have to deal with the roots of problems between France and Libya."

Saif al-Islam reiterated that there is written "secret" document signed in October between Paris and Tripoli, and said the French said "they do not want to talk about." He indicated that a sum of one quarter of one million dollar for each family, as proposed as a compensation for the French victims in the attack, "is the maximum rate for Tripoli.

He added "If I pay more money I will loose the support of the Libyan government."