The first civil flight from Libya arrives in Egypt

The first civil aircraft arrived in Cairo on Tuesday in a direct flight coming from Libya after the suspension of the UN sanctions imposed on Libya since 1992.

The plane carried the delegate of the Egyptian president Minister of State for Administrative Development Muhammad Zaki Abu Amer, Arab League Assistant Secretary General for Arab Affairs Ahmad Bin Hali, Egyptian ambassador to the AL Wajih Hamdli, and Syrian ambassador at the AL Issa Darwish.

In a statement to reporters Arab League Secretary General Esmat Abdul Meguid said Libya has implemented all its obligations by permitting the two Libyan citizens Abdul Basset al-Miqrahi and al-Amin Khaleifa Fheima on Tuesday to travel to Holland for trial in the 1988 explosion of a Pan Am passenger jet over Lockerbie, Scotland.

Meanwhile, chairman of the foreign relations committee at the Egyptian Parliament, Muhammad Abdullah, stressed adherence to the guarantees which ensure a fair trial to the two Libyans.

The Egyptian Civil Aviation Commission extended its congratulations to its Libyan counterpart and its readiness to receive Libyan planes and to allow the Libyan airlines office to resume its work as of Wednesday.

Abdul Meguid added that the Arab states are no longer linked to the sanctions imposed on Libya, according to the decision issued by the Arab foreign ministers in March stating the "immediate suspension of sanctions upon the handing over of the two suspected Libyans."