The 1988 bombing killed 270 people

Questions surrounding the issue of compensation from the 1988 bombing were not resolved on Thursday, which the victims' lawyer said he expected.

However, New York-based lawyer Jim Kreindler said he was certain the remaining technical issues would be settled "in the near future".

The families of the 270 people killed when the flight exploded over Lockerbie are due to receive about �6 million each, but only after Libya accepts responsibility for the atrocity.

Libya is to pay the compensation in return for the lifting of UN sanctions.

'Pain and suffering'

A spokesman for the victims' relatives, David Ben-Aryeah, said any further delay in compensation for the families would cause more "pain, suffering and distress".

Mr Ben-Aryeah, said he was astounded that the matter had not been finalised.

"The reports of delays over the setting up of the escrow account in Switzerland seems to be the final hurt to the relatives.

"It is quite frankly astounding. The various attorneys who are representing the relatives have had months and months to make these arrangements.

"The fact that even now agreement apparently cannot be reached will cause more pain, distress and suffering."

Banking technicalities

But Mr Kreindler said he was "100% confident" that the payment would be resolved very soon.

"We are in the last stages of technicalities and we're very close to wrapping things up if not in the next couple of days, the next week.

"The remaining issues are really just banking issues. When you have a complex international agreement like this the lawyers and the bankers have to get through a myriad of technical issues."