THE father of a victim of the Lockerbie bombing says relatives have been sidelined in talks aimed at getting Libya to admit responsibility.

Retired Bromsgrove GP Dr Jim Swire's daughter, Flora, was one of the 270 victims of the attack in December 1988.

The Libyans want sanctions lifted and for Libya to be taken off the US list of state sponsors of terrorism.

But Dr Swire said it would take a "very long time" before anything was resolved.

"It's to do with a group of US attorneys and the Libyans wanting freedom from sanctions," he said.

"It has very little to do with the British relatives."

British, US and Libyan officials are due to meet today to discuss nearly £2bn in compensation for the relatives of Lockerbie bombing victims.

Relatives are said to be due about £7m compensation per family but Dr Swire said the money was unlikely to find its way to British families.

The meeting in London is the latest between the countries since Libyan intelligence agent Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi was convicted last year.

Meanwhile, former South African president Nelson Mandela hopes to come to Scotland early next week to visit Megrahi.

It was confirmed yesterday Mr Mandela is keen to see what conditions the Libyan is being held under at Barlinnie Prison, Glasgow, where he is serving a life sentence.