An end could be in sight to the long drawn-out efforts to bring to trial two men suspected of carrying out the Lockerbie bombing ten years ago.

The men, both Libyans, have been held in their own country since an international warrant for their arrest was issued in 1991.

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan paid a flying visit to Libya at the weekend to ask the country's leader, Colonel Gaddafi, to hand the men over for trial. Afterwards Mr Annan said progress had been made.

The Libyan People's Congress will now consider the issue at its meeting beginning on Tuesday.

There are many elements to the possible deal, including an agreement by the West to lift UN sanctions against Libya. But much of the wrangling has been about the way the suspects will be treated in a Western court.

Though agreement has been reached on trying the two men in the Netherlands, before a special Scottish court, Tripoli has objected to US and British demands, that, if convicted, they should serve their sentences in Scotland.

But UK Foreign Secretary Robin Cook sees no reason why they should serve their sentence anywhere else.

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