The Libyan government has reached an agreement to compensate families of the victims of the 1988 Lockerbie bombing.
After lengthy negotiations, Libya has agreed to set up a compensation fund of almost €2.5 billion.
For the first time it will also make a written admission of responsibility for the bombing in a letter to be sent to the United Nations Security Council today.
The admission of guilt and the payment are expected to be followed by moves to begin lifting UN sanctions against Libya.
270 people were killed when a Pan Am Boeing 747 blew up over the Scottish town of Lockerbie in December 1988.
Nearly three years ago a Scottish court sitting in the Netherlands convicted one of two Libyan agents accused of the bombing and jailed him for life.
