From: wsargeant@IGC.ORG (Winslow L. Sargeant)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.african
Subject: IPS:Libya, Arab league renews efforts t'
Date: 12 Apr 92 21:38:59 GMT

/* Written  1:58 pm  Apr 12, 1992 by newsdesk in cdp:ips.englibrary */
/* ---------- "LIBYA: ARAB LEAGUE RENEWS EFFORTS T" ---------- */
Copyright Inter Press Service 1992, all rights reserved.  Permission to re-
print within 7 days of original date only with permission from 'newsdesk'.

Reference: Africa, north
Title: LIBYA: ARAB LEAGUE RENEWS EFFORTS TO DELAY U.N. SANCTIONS


new york, apr 9 (ips/marina gilbert) -- a senior u.n. official
says libya has accepted u.n. resolutions and is willing to
cooperate in investigations to try those responsible for the
'lockerbie' tragedy.

in an internal memo to u.n. secretary-general boutros boutros-
ghali made availabe to ips thursday, u.n. under-secretary-general
vladimir petrovsky has presented a fresh libyan proposal aimed at
averting mandatory u.n. sanctions due to be enforced from apr. 15.

after a meeting this week with libyan president muammar gaddafi
in tripoli, petrovsky conveyed libya's readiness to cooperate with
investigations into the 1988 bombing of a pan american airliner
over lockerbie, scotland, in which 270 died.

petrovsky has written: ''libya, anxious to clear its name once
and for all of false accusations of sponsoring and committing acts
of terrorism, declares its readiness to receive a committee
composed of india and china in addition to other members of the
security council...''

''the committee will be free to travel throughout libya to
conduct investigations into alleged libyan involvement in
terrorism,'' the memo adds.

libya is also prepared to announce its renunciation and
condemnation of terrorism, as called upon by resolution 748
adopted by the u.n. security council on mar. 31.

the latest development coincides with the arab league efforts
aimed at postponing the apr. 15 deadline given to libya by the
council which found little backing when it met for informal
consultations thursday.

council member morocco has been canvassing support on behalf of
the arab league to delay action on resolution 748 adopted mar. 31
which gave tripoli a fortnight to avert the clamping of mandatory
air, military and diplomatic embargoes.

the resolution and its predecessor, resolution 731 adopted in
january, hinged on western demands that libya surrender two libyan
nationals accused of blowing up a ''pan american'' airliner in
1988 over lockerbie, scotland, in which 270 died.
(more/ips)

libya: arab league renews efforts to delay u.n. sanctions(2-e)

libya: arab (2)

in a letter released by the arab league secretariat in cairo, the
regional group renewed mediatory proposals and reiterated earlier
suggestions to handover the two suspects to a neutral country till
a the international court of justice (icj) delivers its verdict on
the lockerbie tragedy on apr. 21.

but britain and the united states, which had co-sponsored both
resolutions along with france, have reportedly rejected the
proposal.

according to diplomats in the security council, the british said
they wanted to avoid the prospect of great embarrassment of the
council should the icj, which was also created by the u.n.
charter, deliver a contrary pronouncement.

when resolution 748 was adopted by a slender majority of 10 --
with cape verde, china, india, morocco and zimbabwe abstaining
from the vote -- non-aligned movement (nam) diplomats had warned
of the possibility of a serious institutional crisis within the
u.n. system if the icj verdict went in tripoli's favour.

thursday's move came amid the u.n.'s own efforts to secure
assurances from libya of its readiness to meet the council's terms
and avert the sanctions, which if enforced will have a severe
effect on countries of the north african region.

boutros-ghali dispatched under-secretary-general vladimir
petrovsky last weekend to tripoli for a meeting with president
gaddafi.

currently on a visit to switzerland before he travels to asia,
boutros-ghali met petrovsky in geneva earlier thursday and was due
to confer with a senior libyan diplomat later.
(end/ips/mg/rt/yjc/92)