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Al-Ahram Weekly 15 - 21 July 1999 Issue No. 438 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 15 - 21 July 1999 Issue No. 438
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Profile Features Travel Living Sports Time Out Chronicles People Cartoons Letters Breakthrough in Libya-UK relations
By Rasha SaadAccording to British diplomats the rapprochement between Libya and the United Kingdom came as the fruit of continuous talks between officials of both countries after Libya handed over two of its nationals -- suspected of bombing a Pan Am flight over Lockerbie, Scotland in 1988 -- for trial in the Netherlands in April. Britain severed relations with Libya in 1984 after the shooting, allegedly from a window of the Libyan Embassy, of British policewoman Yvonne Fletcher during a demonstration against Libyan leader Muammer Gaddafi.
Abdel-Aati Al-Ebeidi, Libyan ambassador to Rome, who headed the Libyan delegation in the negotiations with Britain said that "we have agreed that the shooting was not a deliberate act and that we regret it." Libya will pay compensation to the dead woman's family and will cooperate with the investigation into the shooting.
The joint communiqué read out in the House of Commons on Friday by British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook, included a Libyan renunciation of terrorism and an expressed readiness to fight it. However, Libya also used the occasion to express its concern at "acts of terrorism" allegedly carried out by "[Libyan] extremists living in Britain" and Libya's distress over the destruction inflicted on the country as a result of British support for US raids on Tripoli and Benghazi in 1986.
British interests were handled by the Italian Embassy in Tripoli, while Saudi Arabia looked after Libyan interests in the UK.
British detectives are now reportedly preparing themselves to fly to Tripoli to investigate the shooting of the British policewoman. According to British press reports a key-suspect is a British-trained Libyan doctor who worked at the embassy in London. Reports say he is now in Libya. Police are expected to ask that this former diplomat be handed over for questioning along with many of the 30-member embassy staff who were present at the time of the shooting. The joint communiqué did not specify whether Libya would have to hand over the suspect if he were convicted or would only be liable for the compensation deemed necessary.
Libya stands to make substantial gains as a result of the rapprochement with Britain, particularly in the economic field. The nearly 4000 British citizens living in Libya work mainly in the oil sector which is the mainstay of the Libyan economy. In addition Britain is the third market for Libyan oil exports after Italy and Germany.
Libya is struggling to rebuild its economy after seven years of an embargo that affected the aviation industry and blocked armament imports. British companies, in particular British Aerospace, are keen to help the Libyans upgrade and maintain their airports and their fleet of airplanes.
Following the hand-over of the two Lockerbie suspects, there have been several visits by British businessmen to Libya to secure a share of the rebuilding contracts that Western companies are competing for.
The diplomatic breakthrough with Britain also signals Libya's success in breaking out of the isolation imposed on it as a result of international sanctions. Observers also view it as another indication of the seriousness of the North African country's renunciation of terrorism. In this respect, particular reference is made to the appreciation expressed by France for Libya's "cooperation" with its investigation into the crash of UTA flight 772, which exploded over Niger, killing 170 people.
For his part, Gaddafi has been making an intensive effort to give his country a new image as a moderate and peace-loving state, and himself that of a peace-maker, particularly in Africa. Thus, Gaddafi has tried to provide his good offices towards ending the hostilities between Ethiopia and Eriteria, and inn Sudan, he has been mediating a peaceful settlement between the Sudanese government and opposition groups in a bid to end the country's 16-year-old civil war. Gaddafi has also contributed to efforts to end the ongoing war in the Democratic Republic of Congo between the government and rebel forces.
But while Europe is responding to Gaddafi's goodwill gestures, the US has hitherto chosen to remain unconvinced. The six Non-Aligned delegates on the UN Security Council led by Namibia withdrew a draft resolution calling for the lifting of sanctions last week after the United States threatened to veto it.
The US argued that it could not agree to the lifting of sanctions until after the trial of the two Lockerbie suspects in order to be sure of Libya's continued cooperation. The trial of the suspects is due to open in February.
The US stand has supposedly deterred UN secretary-general, Kofi Annan, from requesting the lifting of sanctions in his report to the Security Council earlier this month. The report, which was due 90 days after the hand-over of the suspects merely "welcomed the positive developments" in Libya's cooperation with the Security Council.
Though there have been many signs of a near breakthrough in Libyan-US relations, including an unprecedented meeting between US and Libyan diplomats under UN auspices two months ago, Washington said that it did not expect any major change in its relations with Libya.
