Libya agreed to pay a US$35 million settlement for a Berlin bombing 18 years ago that killed three people and injured more than 200 others, marking a new step by Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi toward rebuilding relations with the West.
But the deal, which followed much larger settlements for the bombings of a Pan Am airliner over Lockerbie, Scotland, in 1988 and a French UTA jetliner in 1989, excluded US victims, including two soldiers who died in the disco bombing.
Agreed by German lawyers and officials of a Libyan foundation run by Qaddafi's son, the settlement covers some 170 non-US victims, including Germans who were wounded or suffered psychological damage and the family of a slain Turkish woman.
"I'm pleased with this fair compromise," German lawyer Ulrich von Jeinsen said after the agreement was sealed on Tuesday at a Berlin hotel. "After 18 years of waiting by the victims, we wanted to come to a deal now."
Lawyers are seeking separate compensation in US courts for American victims of the April 5, 1986 attack on the La Belle disco in western Berlin, which was popular with US soldiers.
In Washington, State Department spokesman Adam Ereli said news of the accord was welcome but emphasized that claims of US victims also had to be resolved.
"We've made it clear to the Libyans in numerous meetings ... that this is an issue of importance to us, and we are following it closely, and we think it needs to be resolved," Ereli said.
After the deal was announced, the German government said it hoped to improve relations with Libya, and that Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder would visit Libya soon.
The government said it wants "a new quality" in relations between Libya and the entire EU, including closer business ties to help the country modernize its economy.
"It is a step forward for the relations of Libya to Germany and the EU," Ambassador Said Abdulaati said.
But he said Libya was not accepting guilt for the bombing, calling the settlement "a humanitarian gesture."
The slain woman's family is expected to get US$1 million, those who were seriously injured will get US$350,000 each, and those with lesser injuries will receive about US$190,000 each, lawyer Stephan Maigne said.
A formal signing ceremony was scheduled for Sept. 3 in Tripoli, Libya, lawyers said.
Libya accepted responsibility and agreed to pay US$2.7 billion last year for the 1988 Pan Am bombing over Lockerbie, Scotland that killed 270 people.
On Jan. 9, the country signed a US$170 million compensation agreement with families of victims of a 1989 French UTA passenger jet bombing.
In December, the country renounced weapons of mass destruction, and was later visited by British Prime Minister Tony Blair in March. Qaddafi traveled to the EU's Brussels headquarters in April this year.
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