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US and Libya settle remaining lawsuits of terrorism victims

Libya and the US settled all outstanding lawsuits by US victims of terrorism yesterday, clearing the way for the full restoration of diplomatic relations.

The top US diplomat for the Middle East, David Welch, signed the deal with Ahmed al-Fatouri, head of the Libyan foreign ministry US affairs department in a ceremony before reporters and members of both delegations.

There were 26 pending lawsuits filed by US citizens against Libya for the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, which killed 270 people, and other attacks, said a senior Libyan government official who spoke on condition of anonymity.

He said there were also three outstanding lawsuits filed by Libyan citizens, including for US air strikes on Tripoli and Benghazi in 1986 that reportedly killed 41 people, including Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi’s adopted daughter.

The agreement paves the way for a full restoration of relations, including the opening of a US embassy in Tripoli, the confirmation of an ambassador, direct US aid and a visit by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice before the end of the year.

It also gives the Libyan government immunity from any further terror-related lawsuits, the government official said.

Thursday’s signing completes a nearly five-year effort to rebuild ties between the two countries.

The US had no diplomatic relations with Libya from 1980 until late 2003, when leader Qaddafi pledged to abandon his weapons of mass destruction programs, stop exporting terrorism and compensate the families of victims of the Lockerbie bombing and other attacks.

After that, the country that was once a global pariah was given a reprieve from UN, US and European sanctions and allowed a seat on the UN Security Council.
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