Campaigners have reacted with scepticism to the news that Libyan files relating to the Lockerbie bombing will be released by the new government in Tripoli.

The Libyan administration is said to be preparing to release all files relating to the 1988 bombing, according to the country's ambassador to the UK.

Mahmud Nacua paid his respects to the victims and their families in an interview with the BBC and went on to say that the Libyan government would release all information relating to the bombing.

He emphasised, however, that this would only be done when the country was again stable.

Mr Nacua said: "We sympathise with them, with their loss and I think our government, when we have enough time, enough security and stability, all files will be open and everyone will know what happened with that crime."

Twenty-four years ago today, on December 21 1988, 270 people were killed when Pan Am flight 103 exploded over Lockerbie.

In 2001, Abdelbaset al-Megrahi was convicted of mass murder and sentenced to life imprisonment. He was released eight years later on compassionate grounds and he died in May this year.

Robert Forrester, secretary of the Justice for Megrahi campaign group, said the move was encouraging but added that he was sceptical.

"It is excellent news on the grounds that more openness on the part of all governments involved in this, not just Libya but Scotland, the UK and the US, is to be welcomed," he said.

"It is positive to have openness and we need a lot more of that, but maybe there is some pressure being brought to bear by what is happening at home."

Mr Forrester said the latest development has come after eight allegations were lodged by campaigners against the Crown Office, police officers and a forensic scientist for their alleged attempts to pervert the course of justice in relation to the Lockerbie bombing.

Mr Forrester said: "The timing of this is interesting on the grounds that politicians at Holyrood have just delivered something of a body blow to the government and the Crown Office in Scotland by voting unanimously across all party divide in the justice committee to keep our petition open for an inquiry in relation to the allegations we have made."

He added: "This whole issue has been fraught with obfuscation for years, so on the plus side it would appear that one of the governments involved is intending to be more open when the circumstances allow them to be more open which could be some time away."

Dr Jim Swire, who lost his daughter Flora in the bombing and was formerly the spokesman for the British relatives of Lockerbie (UK Families Flight 103), also raised doubts over the announcement.

Dr Swire said: "The place that the authorities want to look if they really want to procrastinate over this is Scotland not Libya."