The Libyan foreign minister, Omar al-Muntasser, has dismissed a warning from President Clinton that Libya could face tighter sanctions unless it hands over the two suspects in the Lockerbie airliner bombing for trial by February.

Speaking after talks with President Mubarak in Cairo, Mr Muntasser said Libya would not submit to American threats.

He also said the two suspects should be tried before a neutral court.

A BBC correspondent in the Middle East says this appears to be a departure from what is on offer from the United States and Britain.

They insist that the trial should be held in the Netherlands, but under Scottish law.