Libya and Lockerbie and French UTA bombing: Losses and compensation

The French magazine Jeune Afrique has said that the question of Lockerbie has cost Libya large sums. The French magazine added that according to estimates made by Tripoli, the question of Lockerbie cost Libya almost US $30 billion, including US $25 billion resulting from losses inflicted as a result of the sanctions imposed on it by the UN and the US.

The magazine stated that negotiations have actually started on the amount of compensation money that Libya would have to transfer to the families of the Lockerbie victims who number 270 persons in case its two citizens are convicted.

Jon Afrique added that it is more likely that in order to lift the sanctions, Libya will have also to compensate for victims of the incident carried out against the French UTA plane in 1989 which resulted in killing 171 persons. The magazine said that the total sums to be compensated, including sums to be transferred to the airline companies, are estimated at US $5 billion.

Meanwhile, The secretary of the Libyan General People's Committee, Muhammad Manqush, confirmed that his country completely abides with its commitments toward France concerning compensation for the victims of the bombing of French UTA 772 over Niger 10 year ago.

France International Radio, which broadcast the news today, quoted the Libyan official as declaring that all this should not form any problem or trouble in Libya's relations with France which are good traditional relations.