QUEEN SEALS DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH LIBYA LONDON, MARCH 20 (KUNA) -- THE BRITISH QUEEN ELIZABETH SEALED DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH LIBYA TUESDAY WHEN THE FIRST LIBYAN AMBASSADOR TO LONDON IN 17 YEARS PRESENTED HIS CREDENTIALS AT BUCKINGHAM PALACE.
MOHAMED ABDUL QUASIM AL-ZWAI, A FORMER JUSTICE MINISTER IN LIBYA, ARRIVED AT THE PALACE IN A PROCESSION OF THREE HORSE-DRAWN STATE LANDAUS (CARRIAGES) FOR THE CEREMONIAL PRESENTATION OF HIS LETTERS OF CREDENCE.
DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WERE RESTORED WITH LIBYA IN 1999 FOLLOWING THE NORTH AFRICAN COUNTRY'S ACCEPTANCE OF RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE 1984 SHOOTING OF POLICEWOMAN YVONNE FLETCHER AND TRIPOLI'S SURRENDER OF TWO LIBYAN SUSPECTS TO STAND TRIAL FOR THE 1988 LOCKERBIE BOMBING.
SINCE 1999, LIBYA HAS BEEN REPRESENTED IN LONDON BY A CHARGE D'AFFAIRES PENDING THE APPOINTMENT OF AN AMBASSADOR BY THE LIBYAN AUTHORITIES.
POLICEWOMAN FLETCHER WAS KILLED OUTSIDE THE LIBYAN PEOPLE'S BUREAU IN CENTRAL LONDON BY SHOTS FIRED FROM INSIDE THE EMBASSY BUILDING.
LIBYA HAS NOW PAID COMPENSATION TO THE MURDERED POLICEWOMAN'S FAMILY.
IN JANUARY THIS YEAR, A LIBYAN CITIZEN WAS CONVICTED OF BOMBING PAN AM FLIGHT 103 OVER THE SMALL SCOTTISH TOWN OF LOCKERBIE IN WHICH 270 PEOPLE DIED.
SCOTTISH JUDGES, AT A SPECIAL COURT IN THE NETHERLANDS, FOUND ABDUL BASET ALI AL-MEGRAHI GUILTY OF MASS MURDER. HE IS APPEALING AGAINST THE UNANIMOUS DECISION.
AL-AMIN KHALIFA FHIMAH WAS ACQUITTED AND RETURNED TO TRIPOLI, THE LIBYAN CAPITAL, TO A HERO'S WELCOME.
THE AMBASSADOR, WHO WAS ACCOMPANIED BY MARSHAL OF THE DIPLOMATIC CORPS SIR ANTHONY FIGGIS, WAS MET AT BUCKINGHAM PALACE BY PERMANENT UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS SIR JOHN KERR. (END) HE.BS KUNA 201718 Mar 01NNNN