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Libya Accepts Civil Liability For Lockerbie

Foreign Minister Abdel Rahman Shalgham announced Tuesday that Libya will pay 10 million dollars to the families of each of the 270 victims who died in the 1988 bombing of a U.S. jumbo jet over the Scottish town of Lockerbie. Tripoli also accepted limited civil responsibility for the blast. "My country has accepted civil responsibility for the actions of its officials in the Lockerbie affair, in conformity with international civil law and the agreement reached in London in March by Libyan, American and British officials," he said. Raghman said full payment was conditional on UN sanctions against Libya being lifted after payment of an initial installment of four million dollars to each victim, and U.S. sanctions after a similar payment. After payment of the final installment of two million dollars, Libya would ask to be removed from the U.S. list of countries supporting terrorism, he added.

Toldja Libya was going out of the terrorism business. Muammar's house getting bombed was the start of it, but I think he's serious about becoming an African, rather than an Arab. He refuses to kow-tow to Riyadh. He says he's actually cooperating against al-Qaeda. He's got to see to his kid's succession. Most importantly, he knows how many statues and portraits there are of himself within Libya, and just how secure that makes his aging butt. I think Muammar's taken a hard look at the world and seen who's been winning, and that it's entirely possible that — if it's worked right — he could become reconciled to the U.S. in his old age...

Posted by: Fred Pruitt 2003-04-29

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