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DATE=4/4/99 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-247620 TITLE= LIBYA / LOCKERBIE / ARABS (L) BYLINE=SCOTT BOBB DATELINE=CAIRO CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: A GROUP OF ARAB OFFICIALS IS TRAVELING TO LIBYA TO WITNESS THE HANDOVER OF TWO LIBYANS, WANTED IN CONNECTION WITH THE LOCKERBIE PLANE BOMBING CASE. MIDDLE EAST CORRESPONDENT SCOTT BOBB REPORTS U-N AND LIBYAN OFFICIALS SAY THE HANDOVER IS TO BE COMPLETED BY TUESDAY. TEXT: SENIOR OFFICIALS FROM BOTH THE ARAB LEAGUE AND EGYPTIAN GOVERNMENT LEFT CAIRO SUNDAY FOR TRIPOLI. ARAB LEAGUE OFFICIALS SAID ASSISTANT SECRETARY-GENERAL AHMED BEN HELI, AND EGYPTIAN MINISTER OF ADMINISTRATIVE DEVELOPMENT, MOHAMED ZAKI ABU AMER, WENT TO THE TUNISIAN CITY OF DJERBA, FROM WHERE THEY WOULD TRAVEL OVERLAND TO THE LIBYAN CAPITAL. THE OFFICIALS SAID THEY HAD BEEN INVITED BY LIBYA TO WITNESS THE HANDOVER OF THE TWO LOCKERBIE SUSPECTS. UNDER AN AGREEMENT ANNOUNCED TWO-WEEKS AGO, LIBYA IS TO SURRENDER THE SUSPECTS TO SENIOR U-N OFFICIALS, WHO WILL ESCORT THEM TO THE NETHERLANDS. THEY ARE TO BE TRIED IN THE NETHERLANDS ON CHARGES OF MASTERMINDING THE BOMBING OF A "PAN AM" PASSENGER PLANE OVER LOCKERBIE, SCOTLAND, 10-YEARS AGO (DECEMBER 1988). TWO-HUNDRED-70 PEOPLE DIED IN THE ATTACK. UNTIL RECENTLY, LIBYA HAD REFUSED TO SURRENDER THE TWO SUSPECTS, SAID TO BE LIBYAN INTELLIGENCE AGENTS. LIBYA SAID THEY COULD NOT RECEIVE A FAIR TRIAL IN BRITAIN OR THE UNITED STATES, WHICH CLAIMED JURISDICTION IN THE CASE. A COMPROMISE WAS REACHED LAST YEAR TO ALLOW THE SUSPECTS TO BE TRIED IN THE NETHERLANDS, A NEUTRAL COUNTRY, USING SCOTTISH JUDGES AND PROSECUTORS. THE HANDOVER WAS DELAYED AS LIBYA SOUGHT ASSURANCES THE SUSPECTS' RIGHTS WOULD BE PRESERVED IF THEY WERE CONVICTED, AND THE TRADE AND AIR TRAVEL SANCTIONS IMPOSED FOR THE PAST SEVEN YEARS WOULD BE LIFTED UNCONDITIONALLY. LEADERS OF SOUTH AFRICA, SAUDI ARABIA, EGYPT, AND THE ARAB LEAGUE IN RECENT MONTHS HAVE SOUGHT TO MEDIATE AN END TO THE DEADLOCK. SOUTH AFRICAN PRESIDENT NELSON MANDELA TWO-WEEKS AGO VISITED LIBYA. AND WITH LIBYAN LEADER MUAMMAR GADHAFI BY HIS SIDE, HE ANNOUNCED LIBYA HAD AGREED TO HAND OVER THE SUSPECTS BY APRIL 6TH. // REST OPT // U-N OFFICIALS SAY THE SITE OF THE TRIAL -- A FORMER U-S AIR BASE IN THE NETHERLANDS -- IS UNDER PREPARATION. UNDER A COMPLEX LEGAL FORMULA, THE BASE IS TO BE TEMPORARILY GIVEN SCOTTISH TERRITORIAL STATUS. THE SUSPECTS SUBSEQUENTLY ARE TO BE EXTRADITED TO THE TERRITORY FOR THE TRIAL. U-N OFFICIALS SAY THAT ONCE THE SUSPECTS ARE TURNED OVER, U-N SECRETARY-GENERAL KOFI ANNAN IS TO WRITE A LETTER TO THE SECURITY COUNCIL SUSPENDING THE SANCTIONS AGAINST LIBYA. THEY SAY THE SECURITY COUNCIL CAN FORMALLY END THE SANCTIONS 90-DAYS LATER. (SIGNED) NEB/SB/PCF/RAE 04-Apr-99 11:30 AM EDT (1530 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .