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Britain asks UNSC to lift sanctions against Libya
United Nations, Aug 19: Britain has asked the UN Security Council to lift sanctions against Libya after Tripoli agreed to pay 2.7 billion dollars in compensation for 270 people killed in the 1988 Lockerbie bombing of a Pan Am airliner.
United Nations, Aug 19: Britain has asked the UN Security Council to lift sanctions against Libya after Tripoli agreed to pay 2.7 billion dollars in compensation for 270
people killed in the 1988 Lockerbie bombing of a Pan Am airliner.
But France, with a veto power, has threatened to block
the British move until it negotiates a higher compensation
from Libya for the families of 170 people killed in the
downing of now defunct UTA airliner over Niger in 1989.
A Libyan official described the French demand as a "blackmail" but said the two sides were in contact and a way would be found out soon.
Diplomats said the British sponsored resolution, which was sent to the council yesterday, could come up for discussion in a day or two but a vote could be delayed until the French position became clear.
Under the deal negotiated by the United States, family of each victim of the Lockerbie bombing could get upto ten million dollars. But the relatives of each victim of the French airliner would get much less and that has resulted in intense domestic pressure on Paris to negotiate better terms with Libya.
A French court had found six Libyans guilty in absentia for the downing of the aircraft, and Libya, without accepting the responsibility, gave 34.3 million dollars which meant a compensation of only 33,780 dollars for family of each of the victims. Bureau Report
A Libyan official described the French demand as a "blackmail" but said the two sides were in contact and a way would be found out soon.
Diplomats said the British sponsored resolution, which was sent to the council yesterday, could come up for discussion in a day or two but a vote could be delayed until the French position became clear.
Under the deal negotiated by the United States, family of each victim of the Lockerbie bombing could get upto ten million dollars. But the relatives of each victim of the French airliner would get much less and that has resulted in intense domestic pressure on Paris to negotiate better terms with Libya.
A French court had found six Libyans guilty in absentia for the downing of the aircraft, and Libya, without accepting the responsibility, gave 34.3 million dollars which meant a compensation of only 33,780 dollars for family of each of the victims. Bureau Report