Landmark London meeting in warning to Gaddafi

Foreign Secretary William Hague hailed yesterday’s meeting of 40 nations and international institutions on the Libyan crisis as “a significant milestone”, with an agreement that Colonel Gaddafi and his regime had “completely lost legitimacy and will be held accountable for their actions”.

Sweden has agreed to join Nato military operations in Libya, while the coalition enforcing United Nations Security Council resolutions in the country has been “widened and deepened” and a new Libya Contact Group has been established to co-ordinate the international response, said Mr Hague.

He said the conference had not discussed calls from the main Libyan opposition group for the rebels to be supplied with arms but appeared not to rule out the possibility in the future.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“It was not on the agenda for discussion,” he said. “It is not part of any agreement today.”

In Britain’s view, UN Security Council resolution 1970, which imposes an arms embargo among other sanctions, “applies to the whole of Libya”, Mr Hague said, but it would be consistent with the later resolution 1973 authorising the military action “to give people aid in order to defend themselves in particular circumstances”.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton suggested it would be legal to arm the rebels: “It is our interpretation that (UN Security Council resolution) 1973 amended or overrode the absolute prohibition on arms to anyone in Libya, so that there could be a legitimate transfer of arms if a country should choose to do that.”

Speaking earlier in London, where their special envoy was holding talks with politicians including Mr Hague and Prime Minister David Cameron, representatives of Libya’s transitional Interim National Council (INC) called for the rebels to be armed.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Opposition fighters had only “very light arms” to fight against troops armed with machine guns and with better equipment could “finish Gaddafi in a few days”.

The interim council also published its “Vision of a Democratic Libya”, setting out plans for a post-Gaddafi Libyan state. It said it was committed to a “civil society that recognises intellectual and political pluralism and allows for the peaceful transition of power through legal institutions and ballot boxes; in accordance with a national constitution crafted by the people and endorsed in a referendum”.

The INC’s UK coordinator Guma El-Gamaty said: “We have had enough of tyranny. We have lost a golden chance over the last 42 years to develop our country and use the huge resources Libya had to have proper development, proper prosperity and real freedoms. Now, once hopefully Gaddafi is out, this chance will be possible again and the Libyan people are determined to achieve it.”

Mr Hague said Britain would not oppose efforts being made by Italy to establish whether it might be possible to arrange for Gaddafi to go into exile.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said several nations were planning to put forward a deal involving a ceasefire, exile for Gaddafi and a framework for talks between Libya’s tribal leaders and opposition figures.

Asked whether exile was an acceptable option, Mr Hague said Britain supported the reference of Gaddafi and key members of his regime to the International Criminal Court but he added: “We are not engaged in the United Kingdom in looking for somewhere for him to go. That doesn’t exclude others from doing so.”

Mr Hague said Sweden would supply eight fighter aircraft to patrol the no-fly zone, along with other logistical support, while other countries were discussing what contribution they could make.

The conference brought together all members of the coalition involved in the military operation, as well as the United Nations, Nato, the African Union and the Arab League. Qatari prime minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor Al-Thani said he was disappointed more Arab nations had not made contributions to the military effort.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Mr Hague said in just 10 days “we have achieved a great deal and saved many lives”, preventing the fall of Benghazi and Misrata with “potentially great loss of life and catastrophic humanitarian consequences”.

He added: “Despite a third proclamation of a ceasefire, or partial ceasefire, yesterday, the Gaddafi regime is still embarked on prosecuting a war against the people of their own country.

“Since the conditions of a ceasefire and an end to violence are not fulfilled, then our operations to protect the civilians in these locations in Libya will continue.”