US President George Bush on Monday renewed US sanctions imposed on Libya in 1986, saying that Tripoli must follow positive overtures on unconventional arms with ”concrete steps.”
”The crisis between the United States and Libya that led to the declaration of a national emergency on January 7, 1986, has not been fully resolved, although there have been some positive developments,” he said in a statement.
The statement did not specify the duration of the renewal, but such sanctions — which include a freeze on Libyan assets in the United States — have been renewed annually since they were first imposed in 1986.
Bush praised Libya’s surprise December 19, 2003 announcement that it would dismantle its weapons of mass destruction programmes and allow international inspections of its nuclear facilities but said action must follow words.
”Libya’s agreement marks the beginning of a process of rejoining the community of nations, but its declaration of December 19, 2003, must be followed by verification of concrete steps,” said Bush.
”As Libya takes tangible steps to address those concerns, the United States will in turn take reciprocal tangible steps to recognise Libya’s progress,” he said.
The US leader also acknowledged lingering US concerns about Libya’s ”role with respect to terrorism” as well as its ”poor human rights record.”
Libya was under international sanctions since 1992 over the bombing of PanAm Flight 103, a US airliner, over the Scottish town of Lockerbie that killed 270 people in December 1988.
The United Nations lifted its embargo in September after Tripoli agreed to pay $2,7-billion in compensation and accept responsibility for the bombing, but US sanctions have remained in place.
The United States and Libya broke off diplomatic ties in 1981, and US economic and political sanctions first imposed in January 1986 by then-president have been in place for more than two decades. – Sapa-AFP