- News>
- World
US seen sending signal to Libya on arms, terrorism
London, Nov 20: The United States is expected to send Libya a signal this week that if it allays US concerns on terrorism and Weapons of Mass Destruction, Washington might lift some sanctions on Tripoli, US officials said.
London, Nov 20: The United States is expected to send Libya a signal this week that if it allays US concerns on terrorism and Weapons of Mass Destruction, Washington might lift some sanctions on Tripoli, US officials said.
The officials, who asked not to be named, said Washington was expected to drop the hint by renewing a nearly 22-year-old ban on US citizens travelling to Libya for only 90 days, rather than the normal annual extension.
A major obstacle to ending the ban was removed with Libya's decision in august to take responsibility for the 1988 bombing of Pan Am flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland and its payment of compensation of up to 2.7 billion dollars for the 270 victims.
With that settled, and related UN sanctions permanently ended, US officials said Washington wants to signal that Libyan cooperation on ending its suspected support for terrorism and suspected pursuit of chemical and biological weapons could lead to the end of some US sanctions. ''The Libyans have come a long way. Maybe we can get out of them what we want,'' said a US official who asked not to be named. ''It's not that we're changing what we're trying to get. It's just figuring out what is the approach.''
Another official said Washington was expected to announce the 90-day extension of the travel ban by the end of the week. US officials, who believe Americans are no longer in any particular danger in Libya, considered a 90-day extension of the travel ban in 2000 but decided against it, in part because the Lockerbie matter had not yet been resolved.
When the Lockerbie settlement was finally reached in August, Washington laid out tough conditions for removing its broader economic sanctions on Libya.
It listed human rights, Libya's alleged role in regional conflicts and suspected pursuit of mass destruction as causes for serious concern and barriers to lifting sanctions. The US sanctions on Libya include a ban on imports of Libyan crude oil to the United States dating to 1982 and expanded sanctions in 1986 that include a ban on direct trade, commercial contracts, and travel-related activities.
Among the US oil companies that were forced out of Libya by the sanctions are Conocophillips, marathon oil and Amerada Hess Corp.
Eventually removing the travel ban, which expires on November 24, would not have much practical effect on the US oil companies, whose executives have been able to travel to Libya in recent years with special State Department permission.
Bureau Report
A major obstacle to ending the ban was removed with Libya's decision in august to take responsibility for the 1988 bombing of Pan Am flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland and its payment of compensation of up to 2.7 billion dollars for the 270 victims.
With that settled, and related UN sanctions permanently ended, US officials said Washington wants to signal that Libyan cooperation on ending its suspected support for terrorism and suspected pursuit of chemical and biological weapons could lead to the end of some US sanctions. ''The Libyans have come a long way. Maybe we can get out of them what we want,'' said a US official who asked not to be named. ''It's not that we're changing what we're trying to get. It's just figuring out what is the approach.''
Another official said Washington was expected to announce the 90-day extension of the travel ban by the end of the week. US officials, who believe Americans are no longer in any particular danger in Libya, considered a 90-day extension of the travel ban in 2000 but decided against it, in part because the Lockerbie matter had not yet been resolved.
When the Lockerbie settlement was finally reached in August, Washington laid out tough conditions for removing its broader economic sanctions on Libya.
It listed human rights, Libya's alleged role in regional conflicts and suspected pursuit of mass destruction as causes for serious concern and barriers to lifting sanctions. The US sanctions on Libya include a ban on imports of Libyan crude oil to the United States dating to 1982 and expanded sanctions in 1986 that include a ban on direct trade, commercial contracts, and travel-related activities.
Among the US oil companies that were forced out of Libya by the sanctions are Conocophillips, marathon oil and Amerada Hess Corp.
Eventually removing the travel ban, which expires on November 24, would not have much practical effect on the US oil companies, whose executives have been able to travel to Libya in recent years with special State Department permission.
Bureau Report