VOA标准英语2008年-US, Libya, Finalize Deal on Terrorism Compensat

（单词翻译）

The United States and Libya Thursday signed an agreement in Tripoli, designed to settle all remaining U.S. compensation claims from Libyan-sponsored acts of terrorism in the 1980s. Lingering claims disputes have been blocking the full normalization¹ of relations between the two countries. VOA's David Gollust reports from the State Department.
　
Top US diplomat² for the Middle East, David Welch, embraces Ahmed al-Fatouri, Libya's Deputy Foreign Minister, after signing of cooperation agreement in Tripoli, 14 Aug 2008

The signing of the comprehensive claims settlement agreement climaxes³ a major push by the two governments in recent months to resolve the compensation issue, and Assistant Secretary of State for Near eastern Affairs David Welch said in Tripoli it will "turn a new page" in the bilateral⁴ relationship.

The U.S.-Libyan rapprochement began in 2003, when the Tripoli government renounced⁵ weapons of mass destruction and terrorism and agreed to pay compensation for terror attacks attributed to Libya - most notably⁶ the 1988 bombing of a U.S. Pan Am jumbo jet over Lockerbie, Scotland that killed 270 people.

Libya agreed to provide $10 million in compensation to the families of each Lockerbie victim in a phased payout linked to normalization steps. But the process became bogged⁷ down in legal disputes, with the remaining $500 million of the $2.7 billion package unpaid⁸.

Under the agreement signed Thursday, Libya is to put up an additional sum of about $1 billion to be distributed by a new entity⁹ set up by the U.S. government, to Lockerbie families and victims of other attacks, including the 1986 bombing of a Berlin disco that killed two U.S. soldiers. The deal would also settle Libyan claims from U.S. air strikes against Libya in the 1980s.

State Department Deputy Spokesman Robert Wood described the accord in a briefing for reporters.

"The agreement is designed to provide rapid recovery of fair compensation for American nationals with terrorism-related claims against Libya," he said. "It will also address Libyan claims arising from previous U.S. military actions. The agreement is being pursued on a purely¹⁰ humanitarian¹¹ basis, and does not constitute an admission of fault by either party."

The effort to resolve the compensation issue cleared a major hurdle¹² two weeks ago, when the U.S. Congress approved and President Bush signed, a measure giving Libya immunity¹³ from further terrorism-related U.S. lawsuits¹⁴ once compensation for remaining cases had been paid through the new fund.

Though the United States and Libya announced a normalization of relations in 2006, members of Congress concerned about compensation cases had blocked funds for building a U.S. embassy in Tripoli and prevented a full U.S. ambassador from taking up residence there.

U.S. oil companies and other firms have begun operations in Libya in recent years but Libyan investment in the United States has been severely¹⁵ limited by the prospect¹⁶ of asset seizures¹⁷ stemming from terrorism cases.

In his remarks in Tripoli, Assistant Secretary Welch said the agreement would resolve the last major historical issue that has stood in the way of a more normal U.S.-Libyan relationship.

Welch met Libyan leader Muammar Gadhafi Wednesday and said he had conveyed the best wishes of the American government and a personal message to Mr. Gadhafi from President Bush.