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Ambassador: US-UK ties intact despite Lockerbie


Wed Sep 23 04:59:07 EST 2009
Tue Sep 22 18:59:07 UTC 2009

LONDON, Sept 22 AP - The US ambassador in London says the release of Lockerbie bomber Abdel Baset al-Megrahi hasn't damaged relations between the trans-Atlantic allies.

Ambassador Louis Susman says that while he felt the decision to release al-Megrahi was unacceptable, the diplomatic fall-out has been negligible.

Families of some of the US victims of the 1988 Pan Am attack have said they were revolted by the bomber's release.

The decision to free the former Libyan intelligence agent also was sharply criticised by President Barack Obama, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, FBI director Robert Mueller, and US Attorney General Eric Holder.

But Susman told the BBC in an interview broadcast on Tuesday that Anglo-American relations are "too strong" to be hurt by the flap.