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Al-Ahram Weekly 8 - 14 April 1999 Issue No. 424 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 8 - 14 April 1999 Issue No. 424
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Focus Profile Features Travel Living Sports People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters Libya praised
ARAB League nations are pressing the UN Security Council for a full and unequivocal lifting of sanctions against Libya. In a statement issued on Tuesday, the League welcomed the "brave position" taken by Tripoli in handing over two Libyans, suspected of bombing a US airliner in 1988, for trial under Scottish law in the Netherlands.Following Mondays' hand-over, the Security Council suspended air traffic, arms and diplomatic sanctions imposed on Libya since 1992. The sanctions are expected to be fully lifted within 90 days following a report by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Libya's cooperation with the trial and its commitment to renouncing terrorism.
In his letter to the Security Council on Monday, Annan noted that Libya had already provided the necessary assurances on the question of terrorism.
Meanwhile, Arab airlines have begun resuming flights to Libya, with Egypt's national carrier appearing to lead the pack with an imminent landing in Tripoli. An EgyptAir official said the airline was waiting merely for notification from the UN through the Egyptian Foreign Ministry that the embargo had been suspended in order to give the go-ahead for the first flight from Cairo to Tripoli in seven years.
EgyptAir plans to offer three flights a week to Tripoli and the eastern port of Benghazi, while Libyan Airways plans three flights a week to Cairo. Tunisia and Jordan have announced their intention to restore regular flights to Libya, Reuters reported.
In another development, Italy's Foreign Minister Lamberto Dini became the first high-ranking Western foreign official to fly to Libya on Tuesday after seven years of international isolation.
Emergency aid
AN EGYPTIAN cargo plane carrying 34 tons of emergency aid for Albanian refugees in Kosovo left yesterday for the Albanian capital Tirana.The Egyptian news agency MENA, reported that the shipment included 5.4 tons of powdered milk, 1,000 blankets, medicines and food supplies. The aid will be distributed to the refugees through the Egyptian Red Crescent.
