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Jason Bellini: Families split on Libya's offer
NEWARK, New Jersey (CNN) -- Family members of the people killed when Pan AM Flight 103 was blown up over Lockerbie, Scotland, in 1988 were meeting Saturday to discuss a settlement proposed by the Libyan government. CNN's Jason Bellini was in New Jersey and reported on the complex proposal and the reaction of the families. BELLINI: This is going to be the very first meeting of the families to discuss this proposal. These are the families of the 270 victims of Pan Am Flight 103 -- 189 of them were American, another 11 people died on the ground in Lockerbie, Scotland. Not all of them are comfortable with this deal. There are controversial elements to it because Libya, the United States and the United Nations would be required to do certain things before the families receive their money, these $10 million for each family. They get their money in several stages. First, Libya would admit to its responsibility for the bombing, something it has not yet done. Then, before they would get some of the money, the United Nations would have to lift sanctions against Libya. Then the United States would have to lift sanctions, then they would get more money. They would get the rest after the United States took Libya off of its list of terrorist countries, something Libya desperately wants as [Libyans] want to regain credibility within the international community and be able to make better trade deals, especially deals relating to oil. Other family members feel better about this deal, saying they think that Libya is now ready to put an end to this and reach this financial settlement. We spoke with Bert Ammerman, whose brother died on Pan Am Flight 103. (Videotape) AMMERMAN: In my years of experience you never know what Libya is going to do. They get up to a point and then they pull out again, but what is interesting about this is that the family attorneys have negotiated a settlement with representatives from the Libyan Central Committee and I firmly believe both countries would like to have this eliminated as quickly as possible so they can start selling oil and they can start working with Libya again. So there is some seriousness to it, now the families have to make a decision. (Videotape ends) BELLINI: U.S. State Department sources tell CNN that they are very skeptical that this deal is really going to happen. They do not think that Libya is going to admit to this bombing. Its something they have not done since 1988, and that would certainly have to happen for this deal to go forward.
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