Global Policy Forum

By Abdelaziz Barrouhi

Tunis - South African President Nelson Mandela and a Saudi envoy meet Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi Friday to discuss the possible trial abroad of the two Libyan suspects in the 1988 Lockerbie bombing, diplomats said.

On his arrival in Libya Thursday, Mandela said he planned to address Libya's General People's Congress, a body Gaddafi says is the country's decision-making body which will decide whether to send the two suspects to the Netherlands. "This is a crucial day. The fact that Mandela addresses the Congress and that Prince Bandar (bin Abdul Aziz) has unexpectedly joined him in Tripoli makes us feel that a decision (on the two suspects) is at stake,'' a Tripoli-based diplomat told Reuters.

The United States and Britain have accused the two Libyans, Abdel Basset Ali Mohamed al-Megrahi and Lamen Khalifa Fhimah, of planting the bomb that blew up a Pan Am airliner over the Scottish town of Lockerbie, killing 270 people.

Mandela, Prince Bandar and Gaddafi attended a dinner which went on until about 0200 GMT Friday, the diplomat said.

South Africa and Saudi Arabia have been at the center of efforts to convince Gaddafi, Washington and London to accept a compromise based on a trial of the suspects before a Scottish court to be established in the Netherlands. They also obtained assurances that the trial was not intended to undermine the Libyan government, and that the U.N. Security Council sanctions imposed on Libya since 1992 would be suspended as soon as the two suspects travel to the Netherlands.

Although Gaddafi said earlier this month he had no doubts about the fairness of Scottish justice and expressed public trust in Mandela's and Bandar's assurances, Tripoli has still to formally say when the two suspects are to be handed over.

Mandela told reporters in Sweden before leaving for Libya Thursday: "It is good to be an optimist. I trust that leader Gaddafi will play ball.''

In New York, chief U.N. spokesman Fred Eckhard said Mandela's trip was planned in coordination with U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan.