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DATE=7/9/99 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-251606 (CQ) TITLE=U-N / LIBYA SANCTIONS (L-ONLY) BYLINE=MAX RUSTON DATELINE=UNITED NATIONS CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: THE UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL REJECTED CALLS FRIDAY FOR THE IMMEDIATE LIFTING OF SANCTIONS AGAINST LIBYA. BUT THE COUNCIL REASSURED LIBYA THAT IT WILL LIFT THE SANCTIONS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. V-O-A'S U-N CORRESPONDENT MAX RUSTON REPORTS. TEXT: THE COUNCIL ISSUED A BRIEF STATEMENT SAYING IT WELCOMES WHAT IT CALLS THE POSITIVE STEPS TAKEN BY LIBYA. IT SAYS LIBYA HAS MADE SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS IN COMPLIANCE WITH SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTIONS CONCERNING SANCTIONS. AND IT ENCOURAGES ALL PARTIES CONCERNED TO -- IN ITS WORDS -- MAINTAIN THEIR SPIRIT OF COOPERATION. THE STATEMENT WAS READ ALOUD BY COUNCIL PRESIDENT AGAM HASMY OF MALAYSIA. /// HASMY ACT /// THE COUNCIL RECALLS THAT THE MEASURES SET FORTH IN RESOLUTIONS 748 AND 883 HAVE BEEN SUSPENDED, AND REAFFIRMS ITS INTENTION TO LIFT THOSE MEASURES AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, IN CONFORMITY WITH THE RELEVANT RESOLUTIONS. /// END ACT /// LIBYA HAD ASKED THE COUNCIL TO IMMEDIATELY LIFT THE SANCTIONS, WHICH WERE IMPOSED AFTER TRIPOLI REFUSED TO HAND OVER FOR TRIAL TWO SUSPECTS IN THE 1988 BOMBING OF A U-S AIRLINER OVER LOCKERBIE, SCOTLAND. IN APRIL THIS YEAR, LIBYA HANDED THE SUSPECTS OVER TO U-N AUTHORITIES. THEY WERE TRANSPORTED TO THE NETHERLANDS AND ARE NOW AWAITING TRIAL THERE IN A SCOTTISH COURT. U-S REPRESENTATIVE TO THE UNITED NATIONS PETER BURLEIGH SAYS TRIPOLI HAS NOT YET FULLY MET REQUIREMENTS FOR LIFTING THE SANCTIONS, AS STATED IN COUNCIL RESOLUTIONS. BUT HE SAYS THE COUNCIL STATEMENT NEVERTHELESS COMMENDS THE COOPERATION LIBYA HAS PROVIDED. /// BURLEIGH ACT /// IT DOES RECOGNIZE THAT PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE, IN PARTICULAR THE HANDOVER OF THE TWO ACCUSED IN APRIL, BUT THERE IS MORE TO BE DONE, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING THAT ACCOMPLISHED AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. IT ENTAILS SEVERAL REQUIREMENTS INCLUDING COOPERATION WITH THE TRIAL AND THE INVESTIGATION LEADING UP TO THE TRIAL, WHICH IS NOW GOING TO BE IN FEBRUARY OF 2000. /// END ACT /// SANCTIONS AGAINST LIBYA HAVE BEEN SUSPENDED SINCE THE TWO SUSPECTS IN THE LOCKERBIE BOMBING WERE HANDED OVER IN APRIL. LIBYA HOPES THE FORMAL LIFTING OF THOSE SANCTIONS WILL SPEED UP ITS EFFORTS TO REBUILD TRADE TIES WITH THE REST OF THE WORLD. UNTIL RECENTLY, THE UNITED STATES AND BRITAIN HELD SIMILAR POSITIONS ON THE ISSUE OF LIBYA SANCTIONS. BUT OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS, BRITAIN HAS RAPIDLY REPAIRED ITS RELATIONS WITH LIBYA, AND EARLIER THIS WEEK FORMALLY RE-ESTABLISHED DIPLOMATIC TIES. U-S AMBASSADOR PETER BURLEIGH SAYS THE UNITED STATES WILL CONTINUE ASSESSING THE SITUATION. (SIGNED) NEB/UN/MPR/LSF/WTW 09-Jul-99 6:26 PM EDT (2226 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .