Libya agrees to take responsibility for Lockerbie
Libya has made a historic agreement to accept full responsibility for the Lockerbie disaster of 1988 in which 270 people died.
After a round of talks yesterday, representatives from Tripoli, London and Washington have now drawn up a final agreement that is hoped to bring an end to a two-year negotiation process.
Under the terms of the agreement, Libya will promise to renounce terrorism and vow to cooperate with future investigations into international terror activities.
It will also pay compensation for those killed in the bombing. In return, Libya will see sanctions against the country lifted. Victims of the disaster and their families are expected to receive compensation of up to $10 mn each from a combined escrow fund of $2.7 bn
An arms embargo and a ban on the sale of some oil industry equipment was levied by the UN in 1992 and 1993 as part of attempts to put pressure on Libya to hand over the two Lockerbie suspects for trial. Tripoli agreed to do so in 1999, leading to the suspension of sanctions.
The agreement could lead to a Security Council vote to formally lift the economic sanctions against Libya as early as next week.
