Libya has agreed to pay $2,7-billion in compensation to families of victims of the Lockerbie bombing, family lawyers said on Thursday.
It has also agreed to accept responsibility for organising the attack, when Pan Am jumbo was blown out of the sky by on-board explosives over the Scottish town in 1988.
Following is a chronology of developments since Lockerbie:
1988
Dec 21: Bomb explodes on a Pan Am flight from Frankfurt to New York as it was flying over Lockerbie, resulting in the deaths of 259 passengers and crew as well as another 11 people on the ground.
1990
Libya, subject to US sanctions since 1986, implicated in inquiries into Lockerbie explosion.
1991
Nov 13: Britain and the United States charge two Libyan agents, Abdel Basset Ali el-Megrahi and Al-Amin Khalifa Fhimah, with the bombing.
1992
Jan 21: UN Resolution 731 calls on Libya to collaborate with international investigators.
March 31: UN Resolution 748 imposes an air and arms embargo on
Libya to pressure it to extradite the men.
1993
Dec 1: Further UN sanctions are imposed, including the freezing of Libyan assets in foreign banks and an embargo on oil industry-related equipment.
1994
Aug 27: Libyan leader Muammar Gadaffi insists on ”guarantees” before the suspects are handed over to Dutch authorities for trial on neutral soil.
The Security Council unanimously adopts Resolution 1192 providing for the suspension of Libya sanctions once the two suspects arrive in the Netherlands for trial.
1999
Feb 13: Libya agrees that suspects could serve terms in Scotland if convicted. Annan starts drafting agreement with Washington and London, providing for suspension of sanctions as soon as suspects handed over.
April 5: The two suspects are flown to the Hague and handed over to Scottish officials for trial. UN suspends sanctions on arms-sales and flights, but does not lift them completely.
July 1: US calls for trial to be completed before deciding on sanctions.
2000
May 3: Trial begins.
2001
Jan 31: Abdel Basset Ali al-Megrahi (49) convicted of Lockerbie bombing. His co-defendant, Al-Amin Khalifa Fhimah (44) was acquitted.
April 19: George Bush says he has ”no intention” of lifting sanctions on Libya.
July 26: US Congress votes for five year extension of Libyan sanctions.
2002
Jan 3: Bush signs act extending US sanctions against Libya for another five years.
Jan 5: Libya attacks Bush decision, calls for dialogue.
March 14: Scottish Appeal Court rejects appeal against conviction by al-Megrahi, who was sentenced to life in prison.
May 22: Gaddafi’s son, Seif,tells a German magazine his father is setting up a fund to help the families of victims of terror attacks, including those from the Lockerbie disaster.
May 28: US official says Libyan government has offered to pay $2,7-billion in compensation to the families of Lockerbie victims, in exchange for lifting of sanctions.
May 29: Britain welcomes reports of Libyan compensation offer, Libya denies that any offer made and is immediately accused of lying by a father of a victim.
United States says compensation will not affect sanctions.
June 6: United States, Britain and Libyan government officials meet in London to discuss compensation package.
Aug 7: Libya says for the first time it is ready in principle to negotiate compensation for the Lockerbie families.
Sept 5: The Arab League asks the United Nations to completely lift sanctions on Libya, claiming the country had fulfilled its obligations to the world body.
Sept 12: Lawyers for al-Megrahi say are asking the European Court of Human Rights to rule whether the British government prejudiced their client’s trial.
2003
March 12: Libya has agreed to take some responsibility for the 1988 Lockerbie bombing and pay billions of dollars in compensation to the families of the victims, US officials say.
April 29: Libya will pay $10-million to the families of each of the 270 Lockerbie victims and accept civil responsibility for the bombing, Foreign Minister Abdel Rahman Shalgham says.
Aug 12: A relative of a British victim says he will refuse Libya’s compensation offer because he does not believe it has been proved guilty of the attack.
Aug 14: Libya signs accord to provide compensation, family lawyers say. – Sapa-AFP