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USIS Washington 
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22 July 1999

Libya Must Fulfill All Requirements to Have Sanctions Lifted

(Neumann wants to see positive actions taken by Libya) (580)
By William B. Reinckens
USIA Staff Writer

Washington -- Libya must fulfill all of the U.N. Security Council
requirements before the U.S. will consider lifting economic sanctions
says Ronald Neumann, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near
Eastern Affairs.

This includes renouncing and ending all support for terrorist
activities, acknowledging responsibility for the actions of its
officials, cooperating with the trial of the two suspects in the 1988
Lockerbie aircraft bombing and paying appropriate compensation,
Neumann said July 22 at a hearing of the House subcommittee on Africa.

Ambassador Neumann testified on the United States' relationship with
Libya since the April 1999 turnover of the two Libyan suspects in the
Lockerbie bombing. He also provided background on the U.N.'s
suspension of sanctions and discussed Libya's growing diplomatic role
in southern Africa.

Upon surrender of the suspects, Neumann said, U.N. sanctions were
suspended. However, U.S. unilateral sanctions remain in place. "Only
when Libya has complied fully will we be able to consider lifting U.S.
sanctions," he said. "Right now, such steps would be premature."

Before the U.N. sanctions were lifted, Neumann said, the Libyans were
invited to meetings with British and American diplomats and U.N.
Secretary General Kofi Annan in New York to outline what was required
of them before sanctions would be removed. "We stressed to them that
we are serious about full compliance and that such compliance is not
impossible," he said.

Annan reported to the U.N. Security Council earlier this month that
Libya had made assurances it would fulfill all requirements but "had
not yet done so." "The world community is now clearly on record as
agreeing that additional requirements remain and that they must be
fulfilled" before sanctions are completely lifted for Libya, Neumann
said. Libya has pledged to cooperate with the Scottish court which
will try the two men in Holland next year.

Neumann recognized the important contributions of Saudi Arabia's Crown
Prince Abdullah, Prince Bandar Bin Sultan, Saudi Arabia's ambassador
to the United States, South African President Nelson Mandela and
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in bringing the Libyans to the
negotiating table.

"We acknowledge Libya's recent declarations of its intention to turn
over a new page, but given its history, such statements are not
enough," Neumann said.

"Positive actions are essential if Libya is to be re-integrated into
the international community," he said, noting recent pledges by Libya
to play a more constructive role in regional conflicts.

Libya's new role in sub-Saharan Africa was addressed by subcommittee
chairman Congressman Ed Royce, Republican from California. Over the
years, Libya has provided military aid to numerous rebel groups,
including the Revolutionary United Front in Sierra Leone, he said.

"Libya has also emerged as a diplomatic player, injecting itself into
Sudan, Ethiopia-Eritrea and Democratic Republic of the Congo
conflicts," noted Royce, "sometimes in the guise of peacemaker, often
times as arms supplier."

"It's hard to look at Libya's involvement in these conflicts as a
plus," Royce said. He acknowledged, however, that "It's clear that
Libya's profile is changing."

Libya's recent statements about not supporting groups opposed to the
Middle East peace process was welcomed by Neumann, who noted that
similar statements have also been made by Syria. "These things need to
be checked out. We need to pay careful attention to see if actions
back up their words."