NATO: no hand in Libyan rebel aid
Source: Agencies |
July 1, 2011, Friday
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NATO was not involved in a French airlift of weapons to Libyan rebels, the alliance's chief said yesterday, sharpening differences over how far Western powers should go to oust Moammar Gadhafi.
France on Wednesday became the first NATO country to openly acknowledge arming rebels seeking to topple Gadhafi, who has resisted an uprising against his rule.
The French weapons airlift has ruffled diplomatic feathers, with some governments questioning whether it contravenes a United Nations arms embargo and goes beyond the terms of a UN resolution authorizing the use of force to protect civilians.
NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen was asked by reporters on a visit to Vienna if NATO was involved in the French move. "No," he answered.
"As regards compliance with the UN Security Council resolution, it is for the UN sanctions committee to determine that," Rasmussen said.
China weighed into the debate as well.
"China urges the international community to strictly abide by the spirit of the relevant UN Security Council resolution and not take any actions that exceed the authority granted by that resolution," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said when asked about France's action.
France said on Wednesday it did not break a UN arms embargo by airlifting weapons to Libya's rebels because the weapons were needed to defend civilians under threat.
Le Figaro newspaper said France had parachuted rocket launchers, assault rifles and anti-tank missiles into the Western Mountains region, southwest of Tripoli, in early June. A military spokesman later confirmed delivery of arms.
At an African Union summit in Equatorial Guinea, AU Commission chief Jean Ping said arms going into Libya could end up in the hands of al-Qaida allies.
"Africa's concern is that weapons that are delivered to one side or another ... are already in the desert and will arm terrorists and fuel trafficking," Ping said.
Even France's allies reacted cautiously. British Minister for International Security Gerald Howarth said he had no criticism of France's actions, but added: "It's not something we shall be doing."
The rebels, though, encouraged more arms deliveries. "Giving (us) weapons we will be able to decide the battle more quickly, so that we can shed as little blood as possible," senior rebel figure Mahmoud Jibril told a news conference in Vienna.
Gadhafi's aides said the NATO campaign is aimed at stealing the North African state's oil.
France on Wednesday became the first NATO country to openly acknowledge arming rebels seeking to topple Gadhafi, who has resisted an uprising against his rule.
The French weapons airlift has ruffled diplomatic feathers, with some governments questioning whether it contravenes a United Nations arms embargo and goes beyond the terms of a UN resolution authorizing the use of force to protect civilians.
NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen was asked by reporters on a visit to Vienna if NATO was involved in the French move. "No," he answered.
"As regards compliance with the UN Security Council resolution, it is for the UN sanctions committee to determine that," Rasmussen said.
China weighed into the debate as well.
"China urges the international community to strictly abide by the spirit of the relevant UN Security Council resolution and not take any actions that exceed the authority granted by that resolution," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said when asked about France's action.
France said on Wednesday it did not break a UN arms embargo by airlifting weapons to Libya's rebels because the weapons were needed to defend civilians under threat.
Le Figaro newspaper said France had parachuted rocket launchers, assault rifles and anti-tank missiles into the Western Mountains region, southwest of Tripoli, in early June. A military spokesman later confirmed delivery of arms.
At an African Union summit in Equatorial Guinea, AU Commission chief Jean Ping said arms going into Libya could end up in the hands of al-Qaida allies.
"Africa's concern is that weapons that are delivered to one side or another ... are already in the desert and will arm terrorists and fuel trafficking," Ping said.
Even France's allies reacted cautiously. British Minister for International Security Gerald Howarth said he had no criticism of France's actions, but added: "It's not something we shall be doing."
The rebels, though, encouraged more arms deliveries. "Giving (us) weapons we will be able to decide the battle more quickly, so that we can shed as little blood as possible," senior rebel figure Mahmoud Jibril told a news conference in Vienna.
Gadhafi's aides said the NATO campaign is aimed at stealing the North African state's oil.
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