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American Morning

Libya Seeks Forgiveness for Pan Am 103; Victims' Families React

Aired January 24, 2002 - 08:14   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Elsewhere this morning, the Bush administration says there has been no change in U.S. policy toward Libya, despite discussions with Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi. The White House denied yesterday reports that a deal was in the works that might remove Libya from its list of states that sponsored terrorism.

According to a report in "USA Today," Gadhafi would have to pay $6 billion in compensation to the victims and their families of the 1989 bombing of Pan Am flight 103 that exploded over Lockerbie, Scotland.

CNN National Security Correspondent David Ensor joins us now live with more on this story, which is one of those, David, that on the surface at least tends to boggle the mind a bit. Good morning.

DAVID ENSOR, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Well, that's right, Jack.

The deal is certainly not made. Those officials that you just quoted are correct. However, the deal is in the works; negotiations are underway. There have already been two talks in London between the Assistant Secretary of State William Burns and British officials on the one side, and Moussa Koussa, the head of Libyan intelligence on the other.

The discussion there, about what sort of a statement, acknowledgment, apology, what have you, the Libyan government would have to make acknowledging its involvement in the downing of Pan Am flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland.

Now that goes on just as there's an appeal that started yesterday in a Scottish court in The Hague, where justices -- Scottish justices -- are hearing the appeal of Libyan Abdel Baset Al-Megrahi, who of course is a Libyan intelligence agent who was convicted of involvement in that downing of the Pan Am 103 jet over Lockerbie. He is appealing that conviction. Officials at the court say that process could take up to six months.

After that, it is understood that the Libyans want to get a clean slate. They want to get off the terrorism list the State Department has; they want to get American auto companies back into the country. They want to do what is necessary to improve their image around the world. So there are also negotiations going on with the families of victims. And, as you say, it could be billions of dollars the Libyans might have to pay to satisfy them -- Jack.

CAFFERTY: The part that I guess boggles the mind, David, is given Gadhafi and Libya's long history and deep involvement in terrorism, why would this country even entertain the idea of negotiating with them along the lines of eventually removing them from this list of nations that sponsor terrorism?

ENSOR: Well, it's an excellent question. And, of course, the political side of the decision -- it will be pretty difficult for President Bush to make that decision -- if, and when he does -- to take this man, Moammar Gadhafi, off the list of state sponsors of terrorism, kind of -- and restore diplomatic relations with his regime. A very difficult decision to make.

At the same time, what Middle East analysts and others who follow the terrorism story say is, you've got to be ready to reward nations that do the right thing. Otherwise, there is no incentive. And Libya, over the last few years, has been doing the right thing after a long and dark history, as you mentioned. They've paid compensation to victims of the French airliner that was apparently downed by the Libyans over Africa. Gadhafi was outspoken against the attacks of September 11th. They've taken a whole variety of steps to try to improve their image and to get on the right side of these terrorism issues.

They've stopped supporting terrorist groups that are active in Israel -- a whole series of measures. So the question is, does -- does virtue get a reward or not? If it doesn't, there won't be an incentive for other nations to do the right thing -- Jack.

CAFFERTY: That's a good point. David, thank you. We have to leave it there. David Ensor, CNN's National Security Correspondent.

And that brings us now to the big question this hour, which is can Moammar Gadhafi by forgiveness? Even if the U.S. government is willing to forgive, what about the families of the people who died aboard Pan Am flight 103, the victims?

Robert Monetti lost his son in the bombing of that airplane. He's the President of Victims of Pan Am Flight 103, the largest support group for relatives. And he joins us now from Philadelphia.

Mr. Monetti, it's a pleasure to have you with us this morning. The obvious question is, what is the reaction of your organization to these talks that are ongoing between the United States and Gadhafi's government in Libya?

ROBERT MONETTI, PRES., VICTIMS OF PAN AM 103: Good morning, Jack.

The thing that our people have always been working for is to find out what happened, to get to the truth. The trial of the two Libyans charged with the bombing was a good step toward finding out the truth. But if Gadhafi got up, admitted that he ordered this and explained how it happened, then most of us would be incredibly satisfied, because we will have finally gotten to the truth of what happened.

CAFFERTY: Have you been contacted by U.S. government officials and has any of this been discussed with you -- what they're trying to do and how they're going about it?

MONETTI: The State Department has advised us several days or a week before each of the meetings they've had with the Libyans, explaining that there was going to be a meeting and also explaining that all they're doing is reiterating the requirements set down by the U.N. -- U.N. sanctions. And that the things that are left to do are to admit guilt and compensate the families.

CAFFERTY: Is the $6 billion price tag that's being reported sufficient compensation, if, as you suggest, Gadhafi stands up and says, "We were behind this, we had full knowledge, we participated," whatever the details that you're looking for. That, the mea culpa, plus the $6 billion, would that do it for the families of the people who died in this thing?

MONETTI: We've never discussed money. The government says they haven't talked about money with Gadhafi. We certainly haven't talked about money with Gadhafi. There's a civil lawsuit against Libya ongoing, and the -- apparently, the discussions, if any, about money may be by our lawyers and them. But our lawyers have said they've never talked about money. So where this number comes from, I'm not sure.

I am sure that if he fesses up and admits to what happened and who did it and why, the negotiations for a settlement will be incredibly easier.

CAFFERTY: Why do you suppose -- why do you suppose our government is even engaged in something like this?

MONETTI: Well, our government is engaged in talking to Libya for a number of reasons. One, of course, is Libya has oil and they sell their oil all over Europe. The other one is that it would be incredibly useful for our government at this time to do something nice for a Muslim nation.

We bombed Afghanistan and we've gotten all of the Muslims a little concerned that we're anti-Muslim. And if we could do something positive for Libya, it would be at least a sign that it isn't all Muslims we're against, just the ones that try to kill us first.

CAFFERTY: You believe Gadhafi when he says, "Hey, I'm a changed man. We've got a whole different outlook on this stuff now?"

MONETTI: Personally, I'm not so sure. But our government assures us that they'll do a little more checking before they agree to such a thing.

CAFFERTY: Okay. Mr. Monetti, it's been a pleasure. Thank you for appearing with us here on AMERICAN MORNING. Nice talking with you.

MONETTI: Thank you.

CAFFERTY: All right. Robert Monetti is the President of Victims of Pan Am Flight 103.

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