"Yesterday I had an op ed in the Christian Science Monitor about the Administration's problems in moving ahead with the rehabilitation of relations with Libya. Intitially, Congress did not allocate the $108 million requested by the Administration to fund a new US Embassy in Libya. Furthermore, Congress said it would not hold confirmation hearings for the Administration's ambassador designate.
Congress refused to provide funding because Libya has not paid out the last $2 million per family as stipulated in the Lockerbie settlement. Financial closure on the LaBelle Disco bombing terrorism case has proved elusive as well. In September 2006, Representatives of the LaBelle victims, the Government of Libya, and the US State Department met and hammered out a settlement that was filed in US courts. Inexplicably, though, Libya also subsequently reneged on this agreement--on June 30, 2006--the day the Administration removed Libya from the list of State Sponsors of Terrorism.
Yesterday, though, the House acceded to the Administration's request to fund the US Embassy. However, Congress did say that it will not allow the Administration to provide any financial aid to or run any programs in Libya.
The text of yesterday's Conference Report (SEC. 654) reads as follows: (a) None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act shall be obligated or expended to finance directly any assistance for Libya. (b) The prohibition of subsection (a) shall no longer apply if the Secretary of State certifies to the Committees on Appropriations that the Government of Libya has made the final settlement payments to the Pan Am 103 victims' families, paid to the LaBelle Disco bombing victims the agreed upon settlement amounts, and is engaging in good faith settlement discussions regarding other relevant terrorism cases. (c) Not later than 180 days after enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit a report to the Committees on Appropriations describing (1) actions taken by the Department of State to facilitate a resolution of these cases; and (2) United States commercial activities in Libya's energy sector.
Essentially, Congress will prohibit State Department from administering $1.15 million in programs in Libya next year. Congressional staffers suggest that Congress will for the time being also continue to oppose confirmation of an ambassador.
On January 3rd by the Libyan foreign minister will visit Washington."
See http://counterterrorismblog.org/2007/12/congress_delays_administration.php
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