Date : 20/03/2001
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
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