DATE=2/13/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-245497
TITLE=LOCKERBIE AGREEMENT (S&L)
BYLINE=DELIA ROBERTSON
DATELINE=JOHANNESBURG
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: SOUTH AFRICAN PRESIDENT NELSON MANDELA SAYS AN AGREEMENT
HAS BEEN REACHED WITH LIBYA TO BRING THE LIBYAN SUSPECTS IN THE
LOCKERBIE AIRCRAFT BOMBING TO TRIAL. V-O-A'S DELIA ROBERTSON
REPORTS FROM OUR JOHANNESBURG BUREAU THAT THE TRIAL WILL LIKELY
TAKE PLACE IN A THIRD COUNTRY.
TEXT: PRESIDENT NELSON MANDELA SAYS WHAT HE CALLED, "COMMON
UNDERSTANDING," WAS REACHED IN TALKS WITH LIBYAN LEADER MUAMMAR
GADDAFI AND REPRESENTATIVES FROM SOUTH AFRICA AND SAUDI ARABIA.
AS A RESULT, THE TWO LIBYAN SUSPECTS IN THE 1988 BOMBING OF A PAN
AMERICAN AIRCRAFT OVER LOCKERBIE IN SCOTLAND WILL BE TRIED.
THE SUSPECTS WILL BE TRIED UNDER SCOTTISH LAW, BY SCOTTISH
JUDGES, IN A NEUTRAL COUNTRY -- MOST LIKELY THE NETHERLANDS.
/// OPT /// THE FINAL AGREEMENT WAS NEGOTIATED OVER RECENT MONTHS
BY JAKES GERWIL, MR MANDELA'S CHIEF OF STAFF, AND SAUDI SPECIAL
REPRESENTATIVE PRINCE BANDAR BIN SULTAN BIN ABDULLAZIZ.
UNTIL RECENTLY, LIBYA SAID IT WOULD NOT ACCEPT ANY AGREEMENT
UNLESS THE LIBYAN SUSPECTS, IF CONVICTED, SERVED THEIR SENTENCES
IN A LIBYAN JAIL. HOWEVER, MR. GADDAFI HAS NOW AGREED THEY CAN
BE JAILED IN SCOTLAND. BRITISH AUTHORITIES HAVE, IN TURN, AGREED
TO ACCOMMODATE THEIR DIETARY, CULTURAL AND RELIGIOUS CUSTOMS. IN
ADDITION, THEY WILL BE MONITORED BY UNITED NATIONS PERSONNEL AND
PERHAPS A LIBYAN DIPLOMATIC REPRESENTATIVE WHO WILL BE BASED IN
SCOTLAND.
THE AGREEMENT IS ALSO EXPECTED TO LEAD TO THE END OF SANCTIONS
AGAINST LIBYA, WHICH WERE IMPOSED AFTER THE BOMBING OF THE
AMERICAN AIRLINER IN WHICH 270 PEOPLE WERE KILLED.
MR. MANDELA HAS FOR MANY YEARS CALLED FOR A NEGOTIATED RESOLUTION
TO THE IMPASSE BETWEEN LIBYA ON THE ONE HAND, AND BRITAIN AND THE
UNITED STATES ON THE OTHER. HIS CALL AT FIRST ANGERED THE U-S
AND BRITAIN WHOSE LEADERS SAID THEY WOULD NEVER NEGOTIATE WITH
TERRORISTS.
BUT MR MANDELA'S CALL FOR A NEGOTIATED SOLUTION WAS TAKEN UP BY
RELATIVES OF THE SCOTTISH VICTIMS OF THE BOMBING WHO SENT A
REPRESENTATIVE TO TALK DIRECTLY TO MR. GADDAFI. MR. GADDAFI
AGREED TO A SCOTTISH TRIAL IN A NEUTRAL COUNTRY BUT IT NEEDED THE
COMBINED ASSISTANCE OF SOUTH AFRICA AND SAUDI ARABIA TO HELP
OVERCOME THE REMAINING OBSTACLES. /// END OPT ///
MR MANDELA, WHO ANNOUNCED THE BREAKTHROUGH IN A STATEMENT
RELEASED IN PRETORIA, SAID U-N SECRETARY GENERAL KOFI ANNAN WILL
OVERSEE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE AGREEMENT. THE SOUTH AFRICAN
LEADER DID NOT GIVE A TIMETABLE FOR IMPLEMENTATION. (SIGNED)
NEB/DAR/DW/GE
13-Feb-99 9:11 AM EST (1411 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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