TRIPOLI, Libya, Oct. 12 (UPI) -- Libya and the families of those killed in the 1989 French airliner bombing failed to reach a deal on adequate compensation.
The deadline for reaching an agreement was Saturday, the BBC reported.
However, hours before the deadline's expiration, Libya invited a delegation of relatives to continue talks in Tripoli on Monday. The move was welcomed as a "positive sign" by the families' spokesman.
All 170 on board the DC-10 UTA airliner died when it exploded in the skies over the West African state of Niger in September 1989.
Earlier, French President Jacques Chirac had warned Libya that ties with France would suffer if it failed to stick to its commitment to offer an increased settlement than the $33 million previously offered.
Last month France lifted a threat to block a United Nations resolution ending sanctions against Libya over the 1988 Lockerbie airliner bombing unless a similar compensation deal was agreed for the Niger attack.
