The British Foreign Secretary, Robin Cook, has said he's encouraged by the talks that the United Nations secretary-general, Kofi Annan, has had in Libya.

Mr Annan has been seeking that country's cooperation in handing over the two men suspected of carrying out the bombing of a passenger plane over Lockerbie in Scotland.

In a BBC interview, Mr Cook said it was a possibility but not a certainty that the two suspects could be facing trial by the time of the tenth anniversary of the bombing at the end of the month.

After his talks with the Libyan leader, Colonel Gadaffi, Mr Annan said there were still problems to be resolved.

Washington has expressed disappointment at the outcome.