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Showing posts with label Libya. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Libya. Show all posts

Saturday, July 16, 2011

US senators seek embassy in rebel-held Libya - AFP

US senators seek embassy in rebel-held Libya(AFP) – 53 minutes ago 

WASHINGTON — A group of US senators on Friday called on President Barack Obama to open a US embassy in Benghazi, the capital of rebel-held Libya.

The move comes after US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Istanbul announced that Washington recognized Libya's Transitional National Council (TNC) as the country's de facto government.

Republican Senators John McCain, Lindsey Graham, Marco Rubio and Independent Joe Lieberman welcomed the move, saying it "demonstrates America's commitment to support the Libyan people as they fight to liberate their country from the Kadhafi regime and establish democracy."

In a statement, the senators urged the Obama administration "to increase our diplomatic presence in Benghazi, designate a US ambassador to the TNC, and give the TNC's representatives in Washington and New York full diplomatic rights and privileges."

Western and regional powers, including the United States, on Friday designated the Benghazi-based NTC as the country's legitimate rulers, a move that gives them access to vital funds.

The recognition "should now open the door for more robust US and international support for the TNC, including facilitating their access to the frozen assets of the Kadhafi regime for the benefit of the Libyan people and to support the NATO mission," the US senators wrote.

The senators "strongly urge" the Obama administration "to remove any remaining obstacles to the TNC's ability to gain access to these frozen assets as soon as possible."

Copyright © 2011 AFP. All rights reserved. More »

US senators seek embassy in rebel-held Libya - AFP

US senators seek embassy in rebel-held Libya(AFP) – 53 minutes ago 

WASHINGTON — A group of US senators on Friday called on President Barack Obama to open a US embassy in Benghazi, the capital of rebel-held Libya.

The move comes after US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Istanbul announced that Washington recognized Libya's Transitional National Council (TNC) as the country's de facto government.

Republican Senators John McCain, Lindsey Graham, Marco Rubio and Independent Joe Lieberman welcomed the move, saying it "demonstrates America's commitment to support the Libyan people as they fight to liberate their country from the Kadhafi regime and establish democracy."

In a statement, the senators urged the Obama administration "to increase our diplomatic presence in Benghazi, designate a US ambassador to the TNC, and give the TNC's representatives in Washington and New York full diplomatic rights and privileges."

Western and regional powers, including the United States, on Friday designated the Benghazi-based NTC as the country's legitimate rulers, a move that gives them access to vital funds.

The recognition "should now open the door for more robust US and international support for the TNC, including facilitating their access to the frozen assets of the Kadhafi regime for the benefit of the Libyan people and to support the NATO mission," the US senators wrote.

The senators "strongly urge" the Obama administration "to remove any remaining obstacles to the TNC's ability to gain access to these frozen assets as soon as possible."

Copyright © 2011 AFP. All rights reserved. More »

US senators seek embassy in rebel-held Libya - AFP

US senators seek embassy in rebel-held Libya(AFP) – 52 minutes ago 

WASHINGTON — A group of US senators on Friday called on President Barack Obama to open a US embassy in Benghazi, the capital of rebel-held Libya.

The move comes after US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Istanbul announced that Washington recognized Libya's Transitional National Council (TNC) as the country's de facto government.

Republican Senators John McCain, Lindsey Graham, Marco Rubio and Independent Joe Lieberman welcomed the move, saying it "demonstrates America's commitment to support the Libyan people as they fight to liberate their country from the Kadhafi regime and establish democracy."

In a statement, the senators urged the Obama administration "to increase our diplomatic presence in Benghazi, designate a US ambassador to the TNC, and give the TNC's representatives in Washington and New York full diplomatic rights and privileges."

Western and regional powers, including the United States, on Friday designated the Benghazi-based NTC as the country's legitimate rulers, a move that gives them access to vital funds.

The recognition "should now open the door for more robust US and international support for the TNC, including facilitating their access to the frozen assets of the Kadhafi regime for the benefit of the Libyan people and to support the NATO mission," the US senators wrote.

The senators "strongly urge" the Obama administration "to remove any remaining obstacles to the TNC's ability to gain access to these frozen assets as soon as possible."

Copyright © 2011 AFP. All rights reserved. More »

US senators seek embassy in rebel-held Libya - AFP

US senators seek embassy in rebel-held Libya(AFP) – 52 minutes ago 

WASHINGTON — A group of US senators on Friday called on President Barack Obama to open a US embassy in Benghazi, the capital of rebel-held Libya.

The move comes after US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Istanbul announced that Washington recognized Libya's Transitional National Council (TNC) as the country's de facto government.

Republican Senators John McCain, Lindsey Graham, Marco Rubio and Independent Joe Lieberman welcomed the move, saying it "demonstrates America's commitment to support the Libyan people as they fight to liberate their country from the Kadhafi regime and establish democracy."

In a statement, the senators urged the Obama administration "to increase our diplomatic presence in Benghazi, designate a US ambassador to the TNC, and give the TNC's representatives in Washington and New York full diplomatic rights and privileges."

Western and regional powers, including the United States, on Friday designated the Benghazi-based NTC as the country's legitimate rulers, a move that gives them access to vital funds.

The recognition "should now open the door for more robust US and international support for the TNC, including facilitating their access to the frozen assets of the Kadhafi regime for the benefit of the Libyan people and to support the NATO mission," the US senators wrote.

The senators "strongly urge" the Obama administration "to remove any remaining obstacles to the TNC's ability to gain access to these frozen assets as soon as possible."

Copyright © 2011 AFP. All rights reserved. More »

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Italy urges Libya humanitarian truce

22 June 2011 Last updated at 11:36 GMT Damage from Libyan government bombing raid on Misrata The Libyan government is continuing to bomb the rebel-held town of Misrata Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini has called for a suspension of hostilities in Libya to allow humanitarian aid to be brought to the war-torn country.

Mr Frattini also said Nato must provide data on results of its bombing campaign and guidelines on targeting errors.

Arab League Chairman Amr Moussa also urged a ceasefire on Tuesday, voicing reservations about the Nato campaign.

On Sunday a Nato missile apparently misfired striking a residential area.

The Libyan government said nine people including two young children were killed in the strike.

The alliance acknowledged that civilian casualties may have resulted from it.

Meanwhile Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi described Libya's opposition National Transitional Council as an "important dialogue partner" and an "important domestic political force".

Rebel leader Mahmoud Jibril has been holding talks with the Chinese leadership in Beijing.

Credibility 'at risk'

Speaking to the lower house of the Italian parliament, Mr Frattini called for "an immediate humanitarian suspension of hostilities" to allow an aid corridor to be set up.

image of Duncan Kennedy Duncan Kennedy BBC News, Rome

Mr Frattini's comments are important as Italy provides most of the land bases for Nato's bombing missions, the command centre, as well as several aircraft for the strike operations. His views relate to the political impact of civilian casualties and are probably shared, if not expressed so openly, by other Nato members.

But Italy brings other context to this. Ever since the UN-backed bombing campaign started in mid-March, Italy has been a reluctant participant. As the former colonial power, it says it has interests and responsibilities, not shared by others.

And now there's a new pressure, from the junior partner in PM Silvio Berlusconi's coalition, the Northern League. Just this weekend, the league warned Mr Berlusconi that if he wanted its continued support, then he would have to look again at Italy's role in Libya, because of its fears about the mounting costs of the mission and because of that historical legacy.

"With regard to Nato, it is fair to ask for increasingly detailed information on results as well as precise guidelines on the dramatic errors involving civilians," he added.

But the French foreign ministry said Paris was against any pause.

Such a move "would allow [Libyan leader] Muammar Gaddafi to gain time and reorganise", said spokesman Bernard Valero, quoted by AFP news agency.

"In the end, it would be the civilian population that would suffer from the smallest sign of weakness on our behalf."

On Monday Mr Frattini said Nato's credibility was "at risk" after the residential area strike.

Amr Moussa also cast doubt on Nato's efficacy in an interview for The Guardian newspaper.

"When I see children being killed, I must have misgivings. That's why I warned about the risk of civilian casualties," he told the UK newspaper, adding that the military campaign on its own would not be successful.

"You can't have a decisive ending. Now is the time to do whatever we can to reach a political solution," he said.

An internationally supervised ceasefire was necessary, he added, followed by a transitional period "to reach an understanding about the future of Libya".

African Union Chairman Jean Ping said he believed the West would ultimately accept its ceasefire plan, which paves the way for a transition but makes no mention of Col Gaddafi's departure, the main opposition demand.

"The stalemate is already there. There is no other way," he said, quoted by Reuters news agency.

Wing Cmdr Mike Bracken, the Nato mission's military spokesman, said it was not Nato's credibility that was questionable but "the Gaddafi regime's use of human shields [and] firing missiles from mosques".

Nato's mission - to enforce a no-fly zone over Libya to protect civilians using "all necessary measures" short of a ground invasion - began in March in response to Col Gaddafi's violent response to a popular uprising.

The intervention was mandated by the UN, and led by France, Britain and the US until the end of March, when Nato took over.

Having initially been given 90 days - which would have run out on 27 June - the mission has been extended for a further 90 days.

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Libya operations 'cost UK £250m'

22 June 2011 Last updated at 20:50 GMT RAF Tornado The UK has contributed to Nato's operations over Libya The cost of UK military operations in Libya has cost £250 million so far, government sources say.

Details are expected to be announced in a written ministerial statement on Thursday.

Last week, Treasury Chief Secretary Danny Alexander said it could run "into the hundreds of millions" of pounds.

The UK has been contributing to Nato's operation in Libya to enforce a no-fly zone since 19 March. The government had said it would cost tens of millions.

When military strikes against Col Muammar Gaddafi's forces began, Chancellor George Osborne estimated that the cost of British involvement would be "in the order of tens of millions of pounds, not hundreds of millions".

Treasury reserves

The Ministry of Defence will set out the most recent financial situation in the Commons.

Pressed by shadow chancellor Ed Balls about the issue of costs during Treasury questions in the Commons on Tuesday, Mr Osborne said the cost was being met by the Treasury special reserve and was "very much lower than the ongoing operation in Afghanistan".

The government has clashed with military leaders recently over military operations in Libya.

Air Chief Marshal Sir Simon Bryant, the RAF's second-in-command, said morale among personnel was "fragile" and their fighting spirit was being threatened by being over-worked.

Prime Minister David Cameron said on Tuesday that military leaders were "absolutely clear" the mission could be kept going for as long as necessary.