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DATE=4/7/99 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-247741 TITLE=LIBYA / SANCTIONS (L ONLY) BYLINE=RICHARD ENGEL DATELINE=CAIRO CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: NATIONAL AIRLINES FROM SEVERAL ARAB NATIONS SAY THEY WILL SOON RESUME FLIGHTS TO LIBYA. RICHARD ENGEL IN CAIRO REPORTS THE MOVE IS PART OF EFFORTS BY ARAB NATIONS TO RE-INTRODUCE LIBYA TO THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AFTER SEVEN YEARS OF ISOLATION AND SANCTIONS. TEXT: THE NATIONAL CARRIERS OF EGYPT, TUNISIA, AND JORDAN SAY THEY WILL SOON RESUME FLIGHTS TO LIBYA. UNITED NATIONS SANCTIONS WHICH PROHIBITED AIR TRAVEL TO LIBYA WERE SUSPENDED MONDAY AFTER LIBYA TURNED OVER TWO MEN SUSPECTED OF DESTROYING AN AMERICAN PASSENGER JET IN 1988. TWO-HUNDRED-SEVENTY PEOPLE, MOSTLY AMERICANS, WERE KILLED WHEN A SUIT-CASE BOMB DESTROYED THE PLANE. THE DECISION TO RESUME AIR SERVICE COMES AS ARAB NATIONS AND LIBYA'S ALLIES TAKE STEPS TO WELCOME LIBYA BACK INTO THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY. ON WEDNESDAY, SYRIA ASKED THE EUROPEAN UNION TO INVITE LIBYA TO A MEETING OF EUROPEAN UNION AND MEDITERRANEAN NATIONS SCHEDULED FOR NEXT WEEK. ON TUESDAY, ITALY'S FOREIGN MINISTER FLEW TO THE LIBYAN CAPITAL, TRIPOLI. ITALIAN OFFICIALS DESCRIBED THE VISIT AS LIBYA'S FIRST STEP BACK INTO THE INTERNATIONAL ARENA. ITALY IS LARGELY DEPENDENT ON LIBYAN OIL, THE FLOW OF WHICH HAS BEEN HAMPERED BY SANCTIONS ON SPARE PARTS FOR REFINERIES. ARAB COUNTRIES SUCH AS EGYPT WOULD ALSO LIKE TO INCREASE TRADE WITH LIBYA. MANY EGYPTIANS ARE ALSO EXCITED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF VISITING AND WORKING IN LIBYA, WHICH HAS BEEN ACCESSABLE ONLY BY A LONG AND DANGERIOUS DRIVE THROUGH THE DESERT. HOWEVER, RESUMING AIR TRAVEL TO THE NORTH AFRICAN NATION IS NOT WITHOUT OBSTACLES. THE 12 AIRPLANES OWNED BY LIBYA'S NATIONAL CARRIER ARE IN DESPERATE NEED OF REPAIR. FURTHERMORE, SEVERAL COUNTRIES ARE NOT WILLING TO ENGAGE LIBYA. THE UNITED STATES STILL CONSIDERS LIBYA A ROGUE STATE AND A SPONSOR OF INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM. FRANCE ALSO WANTS LIBYA TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE 1989 BOMBING OF A FRENCH PASSENGER PLANE OVER NIGER. 170 PEOPLE DIED IN THAT TRAGEDY. (SIGNED) NEB/RHE/SB 07-Apr-99 11:08 AM EDT (1508 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .