The Libyan government has confirmed this evening that a breakthrough has been reached in the diplomatic standoff over the 1988 Lockerbie airliner bombing. The official news agency said that the breakthrough followed great efforts made by South Africa and Saudi Arabia to resolve the impasse over the handing over of two suspects.
Earlier, a South African envoy said after returning from talks in Tripoli that a common understanding had been reached on all outstanding issues. He said these included two of the main sticking points: where a trial would be held and where the suspects would be jailed if found guilty.
President Mandela's envoy and a Saudi Arabian envoy had met the Libyan leader to persuade him to hand over two Libyan suspects for trial by a Scottish court sitting in the Netherlands.
