Security Council says flight of Libyan aircraft to Jeddah a clear violation of resolution.

The Security Council on 18 April said it considered the 16 April flight of a Libyan-registered aircraft from Tripoli to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, as a clear violation of Council resolution 748 (1992) and totally unacceptable. It called on Libya to refrain from any further violations.

A statement read out by Council President Juan Somavia of Chile (S/PRST/1996/10 recalled that arrangements had been made consistent with resolution 748 (1992), in order to fly Libyan pilgrims to perform the Hajj. The Council would review the matter should further violations occur and requested the Security Council Sanctions Committee set up pursuant to resolution 748 (1992) to draw the attention of Member States to their obligations under that resolution in the event that Libyan-registered aircraft landed in their territory.

By resolution 748 (1992), the Council had imposed aerial, arms and diplomatic sanctions against Libya, until it complied with requests to cooperate fully in establishing responsibility for terrorist acts against Pan Am flight 103 and UTA flight 772.

Not in compliance with resolutions

The United States, the United Kingdom and France declared on 21 March, on the occasion of the twelfth review of sanctions imposed on Libya by the Security Council, that Libya had still not complied with resolutions 731 (1992), 748 (1992) and 883 (1993), and reaffirmed their common determination to have all the provisions contained in those resolutions implemented. The three countries reiterated that Libya must commit itself to ceasing all forms of terrorist activity and all assistance to terrorist groups.

In a 2 April letter to the Secretary-General (S/1996/236), Libya's Permanent Representative said his Government totally rejected the declaration which "reveals the obstinacy of those States and their insistence upon going against the view of the majority of the members of the Security Council, who at each review express their appreciation of the flexibility shown by the Jamahiriya with a view to arriving at a just and peaceful settlement of the dispute".

Pilgrimage flights approved

The Sanctions Committee approved on 8 March a request from Egypt for 45 flights on Egypt Air from Cairo to Tripoli and Benghazi, and on to Jeddah, and an equal number of return flights, to allow Libyan pilgrims to travel to Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj.

On 5 February, the Committee turned down Libya's request for the purchase of a Jet Star L-731 to replace one of the four pre-approved air ambulances for emergency medical evacuation flights. Libya had asked for such permission because it claimed that three of the four aircraft were out of service as they needed maintenance.