PARIS, Jan. 8 (UPI) -- Relatives of victims of the 1989 bombing of a French airliner announced a $170 million settlement with Libya Thursday, the BBC reported.
An agreement will be signed Friday, said Guillaume Denoix de Saint-Marc, spokesman for the families.
Libya's Foreign Minister, Abdel Rahman Shalgham, presented the offer to senior French leaders Thursday and was expected to meet with French President Jacques Chirac Friday, the BBC said.
The UTA airliner blew up in mid-air over the Sahara in 1989, killing 170 people.
Tripoli never accepted responsibility for the bombing even after six Libyan officials were tried in absentia and convicted by a French court in 1999.
Libya had agreed to pay $33 million as ordered by the French court, but France demanded more compensation after Libya agreed to pay $2.7 billion to the families of the 1988 Pan Am Lockerbie bombing.
Both Libyan and French authorities said the dispute between their countries would be resolved with a signing ceremony on Friday.
