US President George W. Bush Monday called Libyan leader Moamer Qadhafi to discuss the end of the "painful chapter" between the two countries that included the 1988 bombing of a PanAm flight over Lockerbie, Scotland, the White House said Monday.
"The president called Libyan leader Colonel Qadhafi to express his satisfaction that the claims settlement agreement was fully implemented on October 31," said national security spokesman Gordon Johndroe of a 1.5-billion-dollar payment to compensate victims of terrorism.
"The two leaders discussed that this agreement should help to bring a painful chapter in the history between our two countries closer to closure," he said. On October 31, Libya paid the United States 1.5 billion dollars as part of a settlement agreement that was the last hurdle to a full normalisation of ties with Washington.
At the time, Bush signed an order to restore Libya's immunity to legal action pending in US courts, officials said. Johndroe said while the United States would always mourn loss of life, "the settlement agreement is an important step in repairing the relationship between Libya and the United States."
"The United States will continue to work on the bilateral relationship with Libya, with the aim of establishing a dialogue that encompasses all subjects, including human rights, reform, and the fight against terrorism," he added.