DATE=8/25/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=U-N LOCKERBIE LETTER (L ONLY)
NUMBER=2-265866
BYLINE=BRECK ARDERY
DATELINE=UNITED NATIONS
CONTENT=



INTRO:  A letter of understanding for the trial of two 
Libyans accused of the 1988 bombing of an airliner 
over Lockerbie, Scotland was released today (Friday. 
The letter, from United Nations Secretary-General Kofi 
Annan to Libyan leader Muammar Gadhafi, says the two 
suspects will not be used to "undermine the Libyan 
regime." 


TEXT:  The letter was written in February of 1999 
shortly before the two suspects were turned over for 
trial by a Scottish court meeting in the Netherlands. 
The letter outlines detention and trial procedure and 
a key sentence says "The two persons will not be used 
to undermine the Libyan regime."

However, prosecutors say that sentence does not limit 
their ability to pursue any evidence that may exist in 
the case.

Hans Corell, the Chief U-N Legal Counsel, says all 
points made in the letter were agreed to by the 
parties to the case - Britain, Libya and the United 
States.

            ///Corell act///

      This information was elaborated by the 
      governments involved. The only role the 
      Secretary-General has here was to convey this 
      information, in this case, to the Libyan 
      authorities. The Secretary-General was not 
      involved in any way in the formulation of the 
      messages that came from the capitals.

            ///end act///

The letter was released by Britain and the United 
States with the concurrence of Secretary-General 
Annan.

There has been increasing pressure in both Britain and 
the United States for release of the letter and 
recently the defense lawyers for the Libyan suspects 
joined in requesting its release. The trial began last 
May.

The case involves the bombing of Pan Am Airways flight 
103 which exploded over Lockerbie, Scotland in 
December of 1988, killing all 270 people 
aboard.(Signed)   



NEB/UN/BA/LSF/PT



25-Aug-2000 17:23 PM EDT (25-Aug-2000 2123 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
.