ACCESSION
NUMBER:370951
FILE ID:TXT104
DATE:12/12/94
TITLE:LIBYAN SANCTIONS WILL CONTINUE (12/12/94)
TEXT:*94121204.TXT
LIBYAN SANCTIONS WILL CONTINUE
(VOA Editorial) (340)
(Following is an editorial, broadcast by the Voice of America December 12,
expressing the policies of the U.S. government.)
Libyan dictator Moammar Qadhafi continues to defy justice. That is why the
U.N. Security Council has announced that sanctions against Libya will
continue. Under the sanctions, Libya was required to reduce its worldwide
diplomatic presence, close all Libyan airlines offices and cease
1nternational flights. Sales of military equipment and some oil
technologies were embargoed. And some Libyan assets were frozen.
The sanctions were imposed because of Libya's involvement in international
terrorism. In December 1988, Libyan operatives planted a bomb on Pan
American Flight 103; 270 people were killed when the plane exploded over
Lockerbie, Scotland. Libyans were also responsible for the bombing of
French UTA Flight 772 in September 1989; 171 people died when that plane
exploded over Niger.
After a thorough investigation, the United States and Britain brought
criminal charges against two Libyan intelligence agents in the Pan Am
bombing. French authorities are investigating four Libyan officials in the
UTA bombing. But Libya has refused to cooperate with these investigations.
And the Qadhafi regime continues its support for international terrorism.
As the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Madeleine Albright, said,
"Instead of turning over the suspects, Libya has attempted to 'compromise'
through a series of proposals whose common thread is to evade compliance,
confuse the issue, shift responsibility and defy the requirements of the
(U.N. Security) Council. We want to send a clear message to the Libyan
regime," said Albright. "Your efforts to stall and delay in the hope that
council members will forget that terrible night over Lockerbie will not
succeed."
Ambassador Albright called on all U.N. members to ensure that the sanctions
against Libya are enforced. "We want those involved in sanctions-busting
for profit to know they will not escape the scrutiny of (the U.N. Security
Council)," she said. "Until Libya complies, U.N. members must continue to
treat it as a pariah state."
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