By Lisa Macdonald
On August 27, the United Nations Security Council adopted a resolution which might enable progress towards the lifting of UN sanctions against Libya.
The resolution proposes that the Libyan government hand over, for trial in the Netherlands, Abdel Basset Ali al-Megrahi and Lamen Khalifa Fhimah, accused by Britain and the US of the 1988 bombing of Pan Am flight 103 over Lockerbie in Scotland, which killed 270 passengers and crew.
The trial would be conducted under Scottish law by a panel of three Scottish judges.
Britain and the US have until now insisted that the Libyans be tried in either of their countries.
Libya's refusal to hand over the men was the excuse used for the application of sanctions in 1992. The sanctions prohibit arms sales and flights to and from Libya, freeze some assets abroad and limit sales of oil equipment.
However, the imperialist powers have been under increasing pressure to lift the sanctions and meet Libya's demand that the accused be tried in a neutral country by international judges, on the grounds that a fair outcome is not possible when Britain or the US is the complainant, prosecutor and judge.
On February 27, the International Court of Justice at The Hague rejected arguments by Britain and the US that the Libyans be tried in either of their countries.
Then, on June 10, the summit of the Organisation of African Unity voted to ignore the sanctions in the areas of humanitarian, religious and OAU-related affairs. It threatened to lift all sanctions unless the UN made progress on the case.
The member states of the Arab League and more than 100 nations in the Non-Aligned Movement have also threatened this year to break the sanctions if there is no resolution of the case soon.
Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Qadhafi has accepted the Security Council proposal in principle but, pointing out that the US and Britain cannot be trusted, has demanded guarantees that the Libyans will be questioned only about the Pan Am bombing, and will have the right to defend themselves and the right of appeal.
"More details must be clear", he said. "You cannot say give us these people quickly. They are not tins of fruit."
The Security Council has said its proposal is non-negotiable and has threatened "additional measures" if Libya does not hand over the men immediately.
The resolution allows for the use of force if Libya does not comply and also insists that Libya "satisfy" a French investigation into the bombing of UTA flight 772, which exploded over Niger on September 19, 1989, killing all 170 people on board. Libya has always denied involvement in either bombing.
The US has waged a covert and overt war against Libya since the September 1969 overthrow of US puppet King Idris and the new government's nationalisation of British, US and French oil interests and refusal to renew foreign base agreements.
This has included CIA-orchestrated assassination attempts against Qadhafi, provocative incursions into Libyan territorial waters and the bombing of Tripoli and Behghazi in April 1986.