DATE=8/27/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-237763
TITLE=LIBYA / LOCKERBIE (L ONLY)
BYLINE=RICHARD ENGEL
DATELINE=CAIRO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: THE ARAB WORLD HAS GENERALLY WELCOMED LIBYA'S ACCEPTANCE
OF A PROPOSAL UNDER WHICH TWO LIBYAN MEN WOULD GO ON TRIAL IN THE
NETHERLANDS IN CONNECTION WITH THE BOMBING OF AN AMERICAN
JETLINER OVER SCOTLAND NEARLY 10-YEARS AGO. BUT RICHARD ENGEL IN
CAIRO REPORTS SOME ANALYSTS SAY THEY DOUBT LIBYA'S SINCERITY.
TEXT: THE SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE ARAB LEAGUE, ESMAT ABDEL
MEGUID, SAID LIBYA'S ACCEPTANCE OF THE U-S AND BRITISH PROPOSAL
IS BOTH POSITIVE AND EXPECTED. HE SAID LIBYA'S ACCEPTANCE WILL
HELP BRING AN END TO WHAT HE CALLS THE LOCKERBIE ISSUE.
THE SECRETARY GENERAL ALSO SAID HE HAD EXPECTED LIBYA TO ACCEPT
BECAUSE THE PROPOSAL IS VERY SIMILAR TO ONE PRESENTED BY LIBYA
AND OTHER ARAB NATIONS THREE-YEARS AGO.
BUT, THE ARAB LEAGUE'S ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL IS REPORTED TO
HAVE TOLD OFFICIALS AT THE AMERICAN EMBASSY IN CAIRO LIBYA NEEDS
MORE TIME TO STUDY THE PROPOSAL BEFORE FURTHER STEPS CAN BE
TAKEN.
ONE PROMINENT LIBYAN DISSIDENT, MOHAMMED FAIZ JABRIL, SAYS HE
BELIEVES LIBYAN LEADER MOAMMAR GADHAFI IS TRYING TO DELAY HANDING
OVER THE SUSPECTS BECAUSE THEY MAY IMPLICATE HIS GOVERNMENT IN
THE BOMBING WHICH KILLED 270 PEOPLE.
MR. JABRIL SAYS IT IS GROWING INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT FOR LIBYA TO
DELAY THEIR EXTRADITION BECAUSE BOTH ARAB AND AFRICAN COUNTRIES
-- LIBYA'S TRADITIONAL SUPPORTERS -- NOW SUPPORT THE U-S AND
BRITISH PROPOSAL.
/// FAIZ JABRIL ACT ///
FIRST OF ALL, THIS IS A DELAY TACTIC. OF COURSE, THEY
ARE REALLY IN TROUBLE NOW BECAUSE ALL OF THE ARAB
LEAGUE, ARAB AND AFRICAN STATES, ALL FEEL EMBARRASSED.
THEY CANNOT SUPPORT THEM NOW. PLUS, THE TIMING. NOW IN
THE INTERNATIONAL ARENA, THEY ARE ALERT AND EVERYBODY IS
AGAINST TERRORISM.
/// END ACT ///
MR. JABRIL SAYS HE ANTICIPATES THAT MR. GADHAFI WILL SEEK A WAY
TO FURTHER DELAY THE EXTRADITIONS. HE SAYS HE EXPECTS THAT
LIBYA'S POWERFUL REVOLUTION COMMITTEE MAY ORDER THE COUNTRY'S
LOCAL COUNCILS -- KNOWN AS LIBYAN CONVENTIONS -- TO REJECT THE
EXTRADITIONS. LIBYA HAS MORE THAN 300 OF THESE "CONVENTIONS"
WHICH ARE SAID TO REFLECT THE WILL OF THE LIBYAN PEOPLE.
MR. JABRIL SAYS THAT IF THE LOCAL COUNCILS REJECT THE
EXTRADITIONS, MR. GADHAFI CAN SAY THAT HE IS NOT REFUSING TO
EXTRADITE THE SUSPECTS, BUT THAT IT IS THE LIBYAN PEOPLE WHO
REFUSE. (SIGNED)
NEB/RHE/JWH
27-Aug-98 12:27 PM EDT (1627 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
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