DATE=4/6/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-247697
TITLE= LOCKERBIE / MIDEAST REACT (L/O)
BYLINE=SCOTT BOBB
DATELINE=CAIRO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: ITALY'S FOREIGN MINISTER LAMBERTO DINI HAS FLOWN TO
LIBYA, ONE DAY AFTER THE UNITED NATIONS SUSPENDED SANCTIONS THAT
INCLUDED A BAN ON AIR TRAVEL TO THE NORTH AFRICAN NATION. MIDDLE
EAST CORRESPONDENT SCOTT BOBB REPORTS FROM OUR CAIRO BUREAU THAT
THE SANCTIONS WERE SUSPENDED MONDAY, AFTER LIBYA SURRENDERED TWO
SUSPECTS WANTED IN THE LOCKERBIE BOMBING CASE.
TEXT: THE ITALIAN FOREIGN MINISTER WAS THE FIRST FOREIGN
OFFICIAL TO FLY TO LIBYA FOLLOWING THE SUSPENSION OF THE
SANCTIONS. HIS SPOKESMAN CALLED IT THE FIRST STEP TOWARD LIBYA'S
REINCLUSION IN THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY.
// OPT // LIBYA SURRENDERED THE TWO SUSPECTS TO U-N OFFICIALS
MONDAY AND THEY WERE FLOWN TO THE NETHERLANDS FOR TRIAL. THEY ARE
ACCUSED OF MASTERMINDING THE BOMBING OF A PASSENGER PLANE OVER
LOCKERBIE, SCOTLAND, 10 YEARS AGO, IN WHICH 270 PEOPLE WERE
KILLED. // END OPT //
GOVERNMENTS AND NEWS MEDIA ACROSS THE MIDDLE EAST TUESDAY
WELCOMED THE HAND OVER AND THE ARAB AND AFRICAN DIPLOMACY THAT
HELPED BRING IT ABOUT.
THE SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE ARAB LEAGUE, ESMAT ABDEL-MEGUID,
TOLD V-O-A TUESDAY THAT THE ARAB LEAGUE YEARS AGO PROPOSED THE
TRIAL BE HELD IN A NEUTRAL COUNTRY, LIKE THE NETHERLANDS. BUT HE
SAID BRITAIN AND THE UNITED STATES REJECTED THE COMPROMISE
--UNTIL LAST AUGUST. MR. ABDEL-MEGUID SAYS IT TOOK ANOTHER SIX
MONTHS TO REACH AGREEMENT ON CERTAIN GUARANTEES SOUGHT BY LIBYA.
// ABDEL-MEGUID ACT //
I AM SATISFIED WITH THE OUTCOME OF THE DISCUSSIONS.
PERSONALLY, YES. ALL PARTIES MADE CONCESSIONS. AND THE
RESULT WAS THE COMPROMISE SOLUTION. LIBYA HAS ASKED FOR
GUARANTEES. YES, I THINK THEY ARE ENTITLED TO
GUARANTEES.
// END ACT //
THE ARAB LEAGUE OFFICIAL WOULD NOT PREDICT THE OUTCOME OF THE
TRIAL BUT HE UNDERSCORED THAT UNDER THE LAW, THE SUSPECTS ARE
INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY.
A SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST WITH CAIRO'S "AL-AHRAM CENTER FOR
STRATEGIC STUDIES," HALA MOUSTAFA, SAYS THE SANCTIONS AGAINST
LIBYA WERE THE DECIDING FACTOR IN THE BREAKTHROUGH.
// MOUSTAFA ACT //
THESE INTERNATIONAL SANCTIONS SUCCEEDED TO ISOLATE LIBYA
FROM THE INTERNATIONAL SPHERE, AND AT THE SAME TIME PUT
MORE PRESSURE ON ITS ECONOMY. AND I THINK THAT WAS THE
ONLY SOLUTION.
// END ACT //
PROFESSOR MOUSTAFA BELIEVES LIBYA'S RELATIONS WITH ARAB COUNTRIES
NOW SHOULD MOVE TOWARD NORMALIZATION, AFTER SEVERAL YEARS OF
STRAIN. LIBYA CRITICIZED ARAB COUNTRIES FOR REFUSING TO BREAK THE
SANCTIONS, WHILE SUB-SAHARAN AFRICAN GOVERNMENTS IGNORED THE BAN
ON AIR TRAVEL FOR OFFICIAL AND RELIGIOUS EXCHANGES. PROFESSOR
MOUSTAFA SAYS SHE EXPECTS RELATIONS WITH WESTERN COUNTRIES IN
GENERAL TO IMPROVE.
/// REST OPT.///
THE EXILED LIBYAN OPPOSITION, HOWEVER, BELIEVES NOTHING WILL
CHANGE. A LEADER OF THE CAIRO-BASED, LIBYAN SALVATION FRONT, FAIZ
JABRIL, SAYS ENDING THE SANCTIONS WILL NOT HELP LIBYA BECAUSE OF
THE AUTHORITARIAN MANNER IN WHICH COLONEL MUAMMAR GADHAFI RULES
THE COUNTRY.
// JABRIL ACT //
THE LIBYANS WILL CONTINUE SUFFERING A LOT OF ECONOMIC
PROBLEMS BECAUSE OF HIS (GADHAFI) WAY OF RULING THE
COUNTRY. WE DON'T HAVE A CONSTITUTION. WE DON'T HAVE A
GOVERNMENT ELECTED. WE DON'T HAVE ELECTIONS. WE DON'T
HAVE NO (ANY) THINKERS, NO SCHOLARS, NO FREE OPINIONS.
WE DON'T HAVE NO LEADERS, ACTUALLY.
// END ACT //
MR. JABRIL ALSO SAYS HE DOES NOT EXPECT RELATIONS TO IMPROVE
WITH THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY, IF THE TRIAL REVEALS THAT THE
LIBYAN GOVERNMENT WAS BEHIND THE LOCKERBIE BOMBING. HE SAYS THIS
WOULD PROVE THAT THE GADHAFI REGIME HAS NOT ONLY USED TERRORISM
AGAINST ITS OWN PEOPLE, BUT ALSO AGAINST WHAT HE CALLED INNOCENT
CIVILIANS FROM AROUND THE WORLD. (SIGNED)
NEB/SB/PCF
06-Apr-99 1:09 PM EDT (1709 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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