EU welcomes Libya's stand over Lockerbie issue

The Presidency of the European Union has welcomed Libya's position concerning the Lockerbie issue. The EU presidency statement said the EU expects Libya to accept the proposal.

A statement by Austria's foreign minister, the current chairman of the European Union, said today in Vienna: "We now await Libya to hand over the two persons suspected to be involved in Lockerbie explosion to Holland as soon as possible."

British Prime Minister Tony Blair today also called upon Libya to hand over its two citizens suspected of being involved in the Lockerbie explosion in 1988 to be tried in the Netherlands.

Scotland radio quoted Blair as saying: "We took a decision to choose a third country after a lot of research and hesitation because we think it is the only chance to try these two persons."

Earlier this week Britain and the US agreed to try the two Libyans in the Netherlands, but before a Scottish court because the explosion took place over Scottish territories. On Thursday night, the UN Security Council voted to suspend sanctions on Libya after the latter hands over the two men to the Netherlands. Libya's concern relates to the composition of the presiding judges be such that it guarantees an unbiased trial for the accused Libyans.