WASHINGTON ÑThe United States is said to have made slow progress in
its dialogue with Libya.
U.S. officials said envoys from the two countries have discussed a
roadmap for a restoration of Libyan-U.S. relations. They said Washington has
demanded a series of steps that would end Tripoli's support for terrorism,
end Libya's weapons of mass destruction programs and compensate the victims
of the 1988 explosion of a U.S. airliner over Lockerbie, Scotland. Nearly
300 people were killed in an attack attributed to Libyan agents.
The latest talks were held on Jan. 10 in London and led by U.S.
Assistant Secretary of State William Burns. The officials said Libya has
refused to provide adequate compensation for the victims of Lockerbie.
In an October meeting, U.S. officials were said to have submitted a
written list of demands for the removal of Libya from the State Department
list of terrorist sponsors. Britain was also involved in the talks.
"So, first and foremost, our position with Libya is the need for Libya
to comply with the requirements of the UN Security Council resolutions on
the Lockerbie Ñ the Pan Am 103 bombing," State Department spokesman Philip
Reeker said on Tuesday. "Libya must comply with its UN Security Council
obligations and put its terrorist past behind it; there can be no shortcuts
around these obligations; and we continue to call upon Libya to fulfill
those obligations."
Officials said the first talks in Libya were held in 1999, in the wake
of the lifting of United Nations Security Council sanctions from Tripoli.
The sanctions were removed after Libya handed over two suspects in the
Lockerbie bombings.
Reeker said Washington continues to press Libya on its support of
terrorism and other unspecified issues. The official said Tripoli has also
been asked to contribute to the U.S.-led war on terrorism.
