UK 'must halt Libya talks plan'

The 1988 bombing over Lockerbie killed 270 people

Tony Blair is being urged to put off talks with Libya after its prime minister said his nation did not accept guilt for the Lockerbie bombing.

Libyan premier Shukri Ghanem also denied blame for the shooting of Wpc Yvonne Fletcher.

Mr Blair plans talks with Libya's Colonel Gaddafi and the Tories say new assurances are needed before a visit.

Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said that as far as the UK was concerned, the Libyan position remained unchanged.

Libya had made its stance "crystal clear" in formal letters said Mr Straw, who added he would examine the "reported comments".

'Disparity'

Dr Ghanem's comments have sparked questions about Tony Blair's proposed visit to Libya and dismayed families of the Lockerbie victims.

We expect the Libyan to retract this statement Richard Boucher US State Department spokesman US demands retraction

Meanwhile, the US State Department has demanded a retraction and delayed plans to lift restrictions banning Americans from travelling to Libya, reportedly in response to Dr Ghanem's remarks.

Tory shadow foreign secretary Michael Ancram called Dr Ghanem's remarks disturbing and in a letter to Mr Straw urged caution.

"The prime minister should not visit Libya until proper and public assurances are received," he said.

We thought it was easier for us to buy peace Libyan PM Shukri Ghanem Read full transcript

Downing Street said it would not be helpful to negotiate or set benchmarks for Mr Blair's visit in public, but private talks would continue.

Mr Blair's spokesman said it was important to recognise the real progress made when Libya last year agreed to abandon weapons of mass destruction programmes.

The "context" of any visit would be that Libya accepted Britain's positions on Lockerbie, Wpc Fletcher and weapons of mass destruction.

The spokesman added: "We will want to clarify what the prime minister of Libya said with the Libyan authorities."

There seemed to be a disparity with the Libyan government's letter to the UN Security Council saying it accepted responsibility for the actions of its officials, he added.

Libya covers its shift towards pro-western policies

Earlier, Dr Ghanem was asked why Libya had paid compensation over Lockerbie but not apologised.

He said: "We feel that we bought peace. After the sanctions and after the problems we faced because of the sanctions, the loss of money, we thought it was easier for us to buy peace and this is why we agreed on compensation."

But the victims' relatives insisted they had not been bought off, and expected Libya to take responsibility and co-operate with further investigations.

Investigations

Dr Ghanem's comments come after recent conciliatory moves from Libya's foreign minister.

In a landmark meeting earlier this month Mohammed Abdulrahman Shalgam agreed with Mr Straw to increase co-operation in finding Wpc Fletcher's killers.

On This Day: Yvonne Fletcher Dismay at Libyan PM's remarks

The police officer was shot in 1984 outside the Libyan Embassy in London; the incident led the UK to break off diplomatic links.

Dr Ghanem told Today he agreed with the Libyan lawyer who investigated the case who said there was no real evidence the bullet came from the embassy, and no proof a Libyan was to blame.

It has been said the authorities failed to fully investigate the shooting.

But Dr Ghanem said: "The whole subject has been settled to the satisfaction of both governments."

The Metropolitan Police Federation argues it is inconceivable Libya did not know who had fired the shots.

In 1999 Libya accepted "general responsibility" for the killing and agreed to pay compensation to her family.

Wpc Fletcher's mother, Queenie Fletcher, 70, said from her home in Wiltshire on Tuesday that she did not want to comment on the row.