Economic Sanctions Libya

Libya will not accept a 30-day deadline set by the United States and Britain to hand over two Libyans accused of blowing up a Pan Am jet over Lockerbie, Scotland, in 1988, according to a Libyan statement released Saturday. State television, monitored in Tunisia, quoted an unidentified Foreign Ministry official as saying that "those who speak about giving a deadline do not want a fair trial" for the two suspects.

Libya will not accept a 30-day deadline set by the United States and Britain to hand over two Libyans accused of blowing up a Pan Am jet over Lockerbie, Scotland, in 1988, according to a Libyan statement released Saturday. State television, monitored in Tunisia, quoted an unidentified Foreign Ministry official as saying that "those who speak about giving a deadline do not want a fair trial" for the two suspects.

Secretary-General Kofi Annan told the Security Council on Friday that he is "still reasonably optimistic" that Libya will hand over two suspects in the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103. "We are now at a critical and delicate state, and I hope we will not have much to go," Annan said as council members, most notably the United States and Britain, expressed frustration at the pace of progress in a plan to turn over the two men for trial in the Netherlands.

Secretary-General Kofi Annan told the Security Council on Friday that he is "still reasonably optimistic" that Libya will hand over two suspects in the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103. "We are now at a critical and delicate state, and I hope we will not have much to go," Annan said as council members, most notably the United States and Britain, expressed frustration at the pace of progress in a plan to turn over the two men for trial in the Netherlands.

Libya announced Saturday that there has been a breakthrough in talks over the proposed trial in the Netherlands of two Libyans accused of bombing Pan Am Flight 103, a crime that killed 270 people near Lockerbie, Scotland, 10 years ago.

About 5,000 people chanting "Kill Reagan" marched through Karachi on Thursday in a show of support for Libya. The procession, organized by the Movement for the Restoration of Democracy, denounced U.S. economic sanctions against Libya. The United States claims that Libya supports international terrorists. Hundreds of helmeted riot police armed with shields, batons, rifles and tear-gas guns surrounded the American Consulate and halted the procession several hundred yards away.

President Reagan took action to keep in force year-old economic sanctions against Libya, which were scheduled to expire on Jan. 7, 1987. In a letter to the House and Senate, Reagan said the crisis that led to the sanctions "has not been resolved." Last January, after Libyan-inspired terrorist attacks at airports in Rome and Vienna, Reagan imposed a virtual trade embargo against the North African nation.

President Reagan on Wednesday renewed a broad set of economic sanctions against Libya, saying the policies of the government of Col. Moammar Kadafi continue to pose an extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States. The sanctions, banning Libyan exports and imports and forbidding Americans from traveling to Libya, were imposed a year ago.

The Norwegian government today announced its support for economic sanctions against Libya, giving the strongest endorsement yet of the plan from any European nation but stopping short of agreeing to apply them. Foreign Ministry spokesman Per Paust stressed that Norway is not likely to actually apply the U.S.-proposed sanctions except in concert with its European neighbors. The endorsement was nevertheless the strongest statement yet in favor of the sanctions from any European nation.

President Bush informed Congress on Thursday that he is extending economic sanctions imposed on Libya four years ago because he has determined that Col. Moammar Kadafi's government still poses a threat to U.S. security. "The policies and actions of the government of Libya continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States," Bush said in a statement required by law every six months.

Libya announced Saturday that there has been a breakthrough in talks over the proposed trial in the Netherlands of two Libyans accused of bombing Pan Am Flight 103, a crime that killed 270 people near Lockerbie, Scotland, 10 years ago.

Both New Zealand and Australia rejected the U.S. call for economic sanctions against Libya, accused of supporting guerrillas responsible for terrorist attacks last month on airports in Rome and Vienna. Australia said it will not join in the sanctions unless they receive widespread international support. Foreign Minister Bill Hayden said Australia plans limited steps, including a review of official Libyan representation in the country and a temporary ban on additional Libyan students.