DATE=01/16/99 TYPE=ON THE LINE NUMBER=1-00706 SHORT #1 TITLE=BRINGING LIBYAN TERRORISTS TO JUSTICE EDITOR=OFFICE OF POLICY - 619-0037 CONTENT= INSERTS AVAILABLE IN AUDIO SERVICES. THEME: UP, HOLD UNDER AND FADE ANNCR: ON THE LINE -- A DISCUSSION OF UNITED STATES POLICIES AND CONTEMPORARY ISSUES. THIS WEEK, "BRINGING LIBYAN TERRORISTS TO JUSTICE." HERE IS YOUR HOST, --------. HOST: HELLO AND WELCOME TO ON THE LINE. ON DECEMBER 21ST, 1988, A BOMB EXPLODED ABOARD PAN AMERICAN FLIGHT 103, THIRTY-ONE THOUSAND FEET ABOVE THE VILLAGE OF LOCKERBIE, SCOTLAND. TWO-HUNDRED SEVENTY MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN FROM TWENTY-ONE NATIONS LOST THEIR LIVES, INCLUDING NEARLY TWO HUNDRED AMERICANS. AT A RECENT MEMORIAL SERVICE, PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON SAID THAT THE LOCKERBIE DEATHS "CANNOT BE CONSIDERED A MERE MISFORTUNE; THIS WAS DELIBERATE MURDER. AND WHILE ALL OF US HAVE TO STRIVE FOR RECONCILIATION IN OUR HEARTS, WE MUST ALSO PURSUE JUSTICE AND ACCOUNTABILITY." THE LIBYANS SUSPECTED OF BLOWING UP PAN AMERICAN FLIGHT 103 REMAIN AT LARGE. THE U.S. AND BRITAIN HAVE ACCEPTED A LIBYAN OFFER TO HAVE THE TRIAL HELD IN THE NETHERLANDS BEFORE A SCOTTISH COURT. RONALD NEWMANN IS DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE FOR NEAR EASTERN AFFAIRS. HE SAYS THAT GADHAFI HAS YET TO AGREE TO SURRENDER THE SUSPECTS, LAMIN FHIMAH AND ABDAL BASIT AL MAGRAHI, FOR TRIAL. NEWMANN: THEY ARE STILL IN LIBYA. THERE HAVE BEEN A VARIETY OF MEETINGS THAT THE U-N LEGAL ADVISOR HAS HELD TO CLARIFY POINTS THE LAWYERS FOR THE LIBYANS WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT. THERE HAS BEEN A MISSION OF THE [U-N] SECRETARY GENERAL, WHICH HE UNDERTOOK HOPING THAT HE WOULD HAVE SOME SIGNIFICANT RESULTS. BUT AS OF NOW, LIBYA HAS NOT MADE THE DECISION TO TURN OVER THE SUSPECTS AS IT'S REQUIRED TO DO. IT HAS NOT CLEARLY SAID IT WOULD NOT, BUT TIME IS PASSING. IT'S NOW BEEN SIX MONTHS SINCE WE FIRST MADE THE OFFER, NEARLY TWO MONTHS SINCE ALL THE SUBSTANTIVE DISCUSSIONS APPEARED TO BE COMPLETE, AND THE LIBYANS STILL HAVE NOT GIVEN AN ANSWER. HOST: PATRICK CLAWSON IS DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH AT THE WASHINGTON INSTITUTE FOR NEAR EAST POLICY. HE SAYS THAT GADHAFI HAS TOO MUCH TO LOSE FROM TURNING OVER THE SUSPECTS SINCE THEY COULD IMPLICATE HIM IN THE PAN AM BOMBING. CLAWSON: I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY QUESTION ABOUT THAT. AND THERE'S NO QUESTION THAT THESE INDIVIDUALS KNOW ABOUT OTHER TERRORIST ACTIVITIES THE LIBYAN GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN. SO, BEFORE GADHAFI HANDS THEM OVER, HE WOULD NEED TO CAREFULLY CONSTRUCT SOME INCENTIVES FOR THEM TO KEEP THEIR MOUTHS SHUT ABOUT THESE OTHER ACTIVITIES. AND THAT'S GOING TO BE TRICKY FOR HIM TO DO. I WOULD BE QUITE SURPRISED IF HE TURNED THEM OVER. HOST: DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY NEWMANN SAYS THAT THE U.S WILL SEEK HARSHER SANCTIONS AGAINST LIBYA IF GADHAFI DOES NOT SEND THE SUSPECTS TO TRIAL. NEWMANN: WE CANNOT BE EXPECTED TO LEAVE THIS INITIATIVE ON THE TABLE INDEFINITELY, HAVING MADE A SUBSTANTIAL POLITICAL STEP OURSELVES, JUST TO SIT THERE SMILING PLEASANTLY WHILE GADHAFI DOES NOTHING. SO IF HE DOES NOTHING, THEN I THINK WE HAVE TO TRY [FOR SANCTIONS]. HOW FAR THE EUROPEANS WILL GO, HOW FAR OTHERS WILL GO, THAT REMAINS TO BE SEEN. BUT I THINK THERE IS AT LEAST AN AWARENESS THAT WE HAVE TAKEN ADVICE GIVEN TO US BY OUR ARAB FRIENDS, BY EUROPEANS, BY AFRICANS THAT WE SHOULD MAKE A GESTURE OF COMPROMISE. WE TOOK THAT ADVICE. WE MADE THAT GESTURE. NOW IF GADHAFI DOESN'T FOLLOW THROUGH, I THINK THOSE FRIENDS WHO GAVE US THE ADVICE HAVE SOME RESPONSIBILITY ON THEIR OWN PART TO HELP BOLSTER US. HOST: PATRICK CLAWSON FROM THE WASHINGTON INSTITUTE FOR NEAR EAST POLICY SAYS THAT OIL SANCTIONS AGAINST LIBYA COULD HAVE A DEVASTATING EFFECT BECAUSE OF THE HUGE DROP IN OIL PRICES. FOR ON THE LINE, THIS IS --------. ANNCR: YOU'VE BEEN LISTENING TO "ON THE LINE" -- A DISCUSSION OF UNITED STATES POLICIES AND CONTEMPORARY ISSUES. THIS IS --------. 14-Jan-99 4:07 PM EST (2107 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .