The following is from Associated Press news agency:
'Libya and the United States settled all outstanding lawsuits by American victims of terrorism on Thursday, clearing the way for the full restoration of diplomatic relations.
'There were 26 pending lawsuits filed by American citizens against Libya for the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, and other attacks, said a senior Libyan government official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the details of the deal had not been publicly announced.
'He said there were also three outstanding lawsuits filed by Libyan citizens for U.S. airstrikes on Tripoli and Benghazi in 1986 that Libyans say killed 41 people, including leader Moammar Gadhafi's adopted daughter.
'The settlement completes a nearly five-year effort to rebuild ties between the two countries.
'The agreement will be followed by a U.S. upgrading of relations with Libya including the opening of an embassy in Tripoli, the confirmation of a U.S. ambassador and a visit by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice before the end of the year. It will also allow direct U.S. aid.
'The deal also gives immunity to the Libyan government from any further terror-related lawsuits, the Libyan government official said.
'The U.S. had no diplomatic relations with Libya from 1980 until late 2003, when Gadhafi pledged to abandon his weapons of mass destruction programs, stop exporting terrorism and compensate the families of victims of the Lockerbie bombing and other attacks.
'After that, the nation that once was a global pariah was given a reprieve from U.N., U.S. and European sanctions, removed from the State Department's list of state sponsors of terrorism and allowed a seat on the U.N. Security Council.
'The last hurdle was over compensation for Americans harmed in Libyan-sponsored attacks, including the Lockerbie attack and the 1986 bombing of La Belle discotheque in Berlin, which killed two American soldiers. The disco attack prompted former President Reagan to order the 1986 airstrikes on Libya.
'Libya has paid the 268 families involved in the Pan Am settlement $8 million each, but was withholding an additional $2 million it owed each of them because of a dispute over U.S. obligations in return.
'The main Libyan lawsuit was filed by 45 families of those killed in the 1986 airstrikes. There are two other cases pending related to other incidents.
'International institutions and foreign companies operating in Libya — including some American firms — will contribute to a fund to compensate the American and Libyan claimants, the Libyan government official said.
'The top U.S. diplomat for the Middle East, David Welch, signed the deal with Ahmed al-Fatouri, head of America affairs in Libya's Foreign Ministry, in a ceremony before reporters and members of both delegations.
'"We went through a long path of negotiations until we reached this agreement," al-Fatouri said just before the signing. "It opens new horizons for relations based on mutual respect. ... The agreement turns the page on the negative past forever."
'Welch called the deal a "historic agreement" and said he delivered a letter from President Bush to Gadhafi.'
A later edition can be read here. The BBC News website's report can be read here.
It is noteworthy that Patrick Haseldine's comments on this blog to the effect that the talks were to cover Libyan as well as US claims (something that Western press reports failed to make clear) have been vindicated.
It would be churlish not to applaud the signing of this comprehensive settlement agreement by the American and Libyan governments.
ReplyDeleteVisits to Libya by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and, possibly, by President George W. Bush are now on the cards.
But where in this bilateral compensation agreement is there any mention of Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi, whose appeal against conviction for the Lockerbie bombing has been delayed for so long?
Mr Megrahi has been imprisoned for the past nine years for a crime he did not commit. What compensation can he expect to receive?
Megrahi can expect to receive what he deserves; to rot in jail for the rest of his pathetic murderous life.
ReplyDeleteAmazing. The United States thinks they can bully anyone into anything.
ReplyDeleteOne day. Just watch.
We're all watching. So far Megrahi has been found guilty TWICE at the trial and at the first appeal. YOU watch. He'll stay in prison where he belongs. As far as bullying goes, Libya tortures people daily, halts oil trade with a contry where Ghadaffi's son is arrested for beating his staff and Megrahi murdering 270 people is a far cry from bullying.
ReplyDeleteSorry, but Megrahi has not been found guilty twice- he was found guilty at trial, and his conviction upheld at appeal - they are not the same thing. Losing an appeal doesn't mean the original conviction was safe or correct - look at how many miscarriages of justice have failed in several appeals because the authorities involved simply close ranks and cover each other's backs. I can't understand the blind faith in a system which so often gets it terribly wrong - there's a mass of evidence that Megrahi is not the man responsible for Lockerbie, and that he was fitted up, yet so many people choose to simply ignore that evidence and believe that justice was properly done. Then there's the double standards - condemning Libya for the very things the Americans (and the British) are doing themselves. Blind faith and ignorance - the two factors any government can count on to mislead and deceive its citizens.
ReplyDeleteRegardless of how you present it - trial, appeal, politics, conspiracy theories ... Megrahi is still guilty. The EVIDENCE shows that he was on Malta on Dec. 21st 1988 on a false passport, he was working for the Libyan government (which he initially denied), and renting space from MEBO / Bollier who worked with Libya on airliner bombs and made the PA103 bomb timer...among many other pieces of evidence that point to Megrahi's guilt. All which were presented at trial where he was found guilty AND at the appeal where the trial verdict of GUILTY was upheld. Not Sorry.
ReplyDelete