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Libya
3.31 pm
The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Mr. Robin Cook): With permission, Madam Speaker, I should like to make a statement on relations with Libya. I am grateful to the Opposition for agreeing--[Interruption.]
Madam Speaker: Order. This is an important statement. Those hon. Members who are leaving the Chamber must please do so quietly and quickly, as those who are remaining want to hear the statement.
Mr. Cook: Thank you, Madam Speaker. You anticipated me, as I was saying that I was grateful to the Opposition for agreeing to this important statement being made on a Supply day.
For over a decade, two separate issues have prevented us from maintaining normal diplomatic relations with Libya. One of those was the refusal by Libya to hand over the two men charged with responsibility for the bombing of Pan Am flight 103 over Lockerbie. As the House will be aware, the diplomatic stalemate over this issue was broken by our initiative in offering a trial under Scottish law in the Netherlands. Intensive and patient diplomacy produced an agreement by Libya in April to hand over both suspects. The two accused are currently held in the court complex at Camp Zeist, where we expect their trial to commence early next year. This will give the relatives of those who died and the public their first opportunity to hear all the evidence that we hold.
United Nations sanctions were imposed on Libya in 1992 as a result of its refusal to comply with the investigations into the Lockerbie bombing and the parallel UTA case. Following the surrender of the two accused, UN sanctions on Libya have been suspended.
However, diplomatic relations between Libya and the United Kingdom had already been broken off before the Lockerbie bombing. They ceased in 1984 when we broke off diplomatic relations over the refusal by Libya to co-operate with the investigation into the killing of WPC Yvonne Fletcher, who was shot while carrying out her duties in front of the Libyan People's Bureau in St. James's Square.
In the weeks since the handover of the two Lockerbie suspects, we have been engaged in repeated exchanges with the Libyan Government in an attempt to secure their co-operation with the police investigation. Throughout these negotiations over some weeks, we have consulted fully with the Metropolitan police and, through them, with the Fletcher family. Earlier this afternoon, I met Mr. Obeidi of the Libyan Government, and we have finalised a joint statement.
In that statement, Libya accepts general responsibility for the actions of those in the Libyan People's Bureau at the time of the shooting. It expresses deep regret to the family of WPC Fletcher for what occurred and offers to pay compensation now to the family. Libya agrees
The way is now open for the police to pursue their investigation into the killing of Yvonne Fletcher. That investigation will be pursued as far as it can and we expect Libya to co-operate at all stages of the investigation.
The two agreements that we have secured open the way for us to resume diplomatic relations with Libya. I am upgrading immediately the British interests section in Tripoli to embassy status. We will, as quickly as practical, appoint an ambassador and bring the embassy up to full strength. As a result, the 4,000 or so British citizens who are resident in Libya will have restored to them full consular protection, and we will be able to provide appropriate support to British commercial interests. Full diplomatic representation will also enable us better to monitor Libyan co-operation with the Lockerbie trial and the police investigation into the killing of Yvonne Fletcher.
Today's announcement brings to an end 15 years throughout which relations between our two countries were suspended. I should like to thank the Government of Italy for their assistance throughout those years as the protecting power of British interests in Libya.
I ask the House again to pay tribute to Yvonne Fletcher, a young woman who gave her life in the service of law and order. Her family have suffered not only her loss, but the added pain of 15 years in which its investigation has been blocked. They have borne it with dignity and fortitude. I express on behalf of the whole House our deep sympathy to them. I hope that the agreement that we have secured today will open the way for them to learn more about what happened on that fateful day.
Mrs. Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham):
I thank the Foreign Secretary for his kind words and his courtesy in providing advance notification of today's joint statement. Both the last Conservative Government and the present Labour Government have striven to reach this point. On behalf of the official Opposition, I therefore welcome the progress in Anglo-Libyan relations that is contained in the declaration, which, in effect, restores normal diplomatic relations between our two countries.
It has always been our view that Libya should express regret about, and accept responsibility for, the appalling murder of WPC Yvonne Fletcher, as well as co-operating in the investigation into her murder. The Foreign Secretary has announced that the investigation will be pursued. To what degree can he expect co-operation from Libya to identify the murderer? Does he believe that the murderer will now be brought to justice? If so, will he confirm that the procedures that are in place for the trial of the Lockerbie suspects could be used to try any person who is accused of her murder?
The relatives of those killed in the bombing of Pan Am 103 will follow developments closely. What discussions has the Foreign Secretary had with those relatives, and what has been their reaction to the compensation to Yvonne Fletcher's family, which is symbolic of the guilt of Libya?
The Foreign Secretary has referred to United Nations sanctions against Libya, which are only suspended, not lifted. Does he intend to press for sanctions to be lifted? Has he had an opportunity to discuss that with the United States Government?
There has been undisputed evidence of Libyan support for terrorists, particularly the IRA. Will the Foreign Secretary assure the House that all training of terrorists and material support to terrorists has now been stopped, including support to rebel groups in west Africa?
On the future, and the restored links between our two countries, will the Foreign Secretary clarify the status of the business delegation that has been proposed by the British Libyan business group? There was some confusion, I understand, between his Department and the Department of Trade and Industry earlier this week. Does that delegation now have his support?
We welcome the fact that the 4,000 British citizens who are working in Libya will now have British consular protection. Conservative Members hope that the restoration of full diplomatic ties will prove to be a turning point in our relations with Libya and in Libya's relations with the rest of the world. Libya will be watched very closely.
Finally, we are pleased that the outcome has the endorsement of the Fletcher family. I join the Foreign Secretary in paying tribute to them and to Yvonne Fletcher. Even now, although we are moving on to the next chapter, I do not believe that anyone in this House will forget the brave WPC who, in doing her duty, paid with her life.
Mr. Cook:
I am grateful to the hon. Lady for her approach to this issue and I very much welcome the sentiments expressed in her closing remarks, which are shared by hon. Members throughout the House. The hon. Lady asked a number of questions and I will try to respond to them all as briefly as possible.
First, we expect Libya to honour its commitment to co-operate fully with the police investigation at all stages. That must include the final stage if any individual is identified by the police.
I do not think that it would be feasible or helpful to wrap up any proceedings with the trial that has been set up for the Lockerbie bombing. That was set up under the Security Council resolution that refers only to that bombing. In any case, there is the difficult question of jurisdiction. We have already managed to achieve legal history by carrying out a trial under Scottish jurisdiction in the Netherlands. We could not extend that to include English jurisdiction because of the killing of Yvonne Fletcher.
On the relatives of those involved in the Pan Am bombing, I assure the House that we contacted them in advance of the statement to inform them that we intended, in the light of the agreement, to resume diplomatic relations with Libya. Among British relatives of those who died, we are not aware of any dissent from the course of action that we propose to take. As the House will know, they warmly welcomed the initiative that we took to secure the trial.
On United Nations sanctions, those are suspended to all intents and purposes. When we reached agreement on the Lockerbie trial we undertook that if the Secretary-General
reported that Libya had complied with the Security Council resolutions of 1992, Britain would support the lifting of sanctions. That remains our position. The Secretary-General has not yet been able conclusively to say so, but when he does we will support the lifting of sanctions.
On Libyan participation in terrorism, I refer the House to what is said in the joint statement that I have placed in the Library. In that statement, Libya condemns terrorism and pledges to co-operate in the international fight against it. The very clear statement that we have secured amounts to the renunciation of terrorism, which has been sought repeatedly in the past decade and has on previous occasions been volunteered by Libya. With our new diplomatic channels in Libya, we will do everything that we can to ensure that both countries fight against the support of terrorism.
On the British Libyan business group, the proposal for that visit was first put to the Government in May. Both the Department of Trade and Industry and the Foreign Office took exactly the same position. The standard position of Governments throughout the years since 1984 has been that we will neither support nor discourage trade missions. That was the view that was clearly expressed to that group. Last week, when it became clear that we were getting close to an agreement, both the DTI and the Foreign Office relaxed our comments on the trip. I understand that the business visit is proceeding at present.
"to participate in and co-operate with the continuing police investigation and to accept its outcome".
I have placed in the Library a full text of the joint statement. It fully meets the objectives pursued by successive British Governments since 1984, and it is
supported by the Metropolitan police and the Fletcher family. No amount of payment can ever compensate the Fletcher parents for the loss of their daughter, but the agreement to make compensation now is welcome as a recognition by Libya of its responsibility.
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