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Libya Declares Cease-Fire After UN Resolution

18.03.2011 15:44

The regime of Muammar Qaddafi has announced a unilateral cease-fire in its war with rebels, just hours after a UN resolution authorizing world powers to stop the killing of civilians in Libya.

Libyan Foreign Minister Moussa Koussa said in Tripoli that the government decided to halt all military operations to protect civilians in line with the UN resolution passed March 17.

He also questioned the fact that the UN had authorized the use of force against Libya.

"Libya also finds that it is very strange and unreasonable that the Security Council allowed in its resolution the use of military power and there are signs that this might, indeed, take place," he said.

The Libyan announcement comes as NATO meets today in Brussels to discuss how to immediately implement the resolution, which authorizes the use of "all necessary measures" -- except ground troops -- to stop Tripoli from attacking rebel-held towns and killing civilians.

It is not immediately clear what impact the unilateral Libyan declaration of a cease-fire will have on NATO's plans.

But U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said that it was not at all clear if the cease-fire announcement was being matched by Tripoli's actions on the ground and that Washington and its allies were still considering what would be "the most effective measures" to end the crisis in Libya.

Clinton also said the "final result" of the UN resolution must be Qaddafi's departure.

"The overwhelming vote by the Security Council I think reflects a broad understanding that, No. 1, stop the violence, and No. 2, we do believe that a final result of any negotiation would have to be the decision by Colonel Qaddafi to leave," she said. "But let's take this one step at a time."

At the top of the agenda of the NATO meeting will be a no-fly zone that would ground Qaddafi's fighter jets and helicopters, which have been forcing rebel fighters to retreat amid heavy civilian casualties.

France said earlier today that military action against Libya could come "within hours."

"The strikes will take place rapidly," French government spokesman Francois Baroin told RTL radio in Paris. "There is no question, you will understand, of saying this morning when, how, which target, and in what shape. But what happened overnight is a very important stage in the management of this war in Libya and the massacre by Qaddafi of his people."

France is the only country to have diplomatically recognized the Libyan rebels' provisional government. Along with Britain and Lebanon, France sponsored the UN resolution and even sent its foreign minister, Alain Juppe, to speak to the Security Council immediately before the vote on March 17.

More Countries Joining In

Multiple countries have stepped forward to vow their support for the UN-approved intervention.

British Prime Minister David Cameron told Parliament today that Britain would deploy Tornado and Typhoon fighter jets to bases near Libya.

Italy said it was ready to offer use of its air bases.

Qatar, Norway, and Poland have all promised to contribute to the multinational effort. Warsaw said it was "ready to help with our transport plans," while Oslo also said it would contribute "by means of air [power]." Meanwhile, Denmark said it will await parliamentary approval before joining the action by contributing warplanes.

The NATO resolution, which was approved by two-thirds of the UN Security Council while another one-third abstained, ends weeks of mounting tension over whether the international community would intervene in the Libyan crisis.

The proposal to intervene initially was opposed by Russia and China over fears it might lead to "excessive" use of outside military force in Libya. But in the end neither Russia nor China used their veto power to block the vote and instead joined Germany, India, and Brazil in merely abstaining.

Today, Germany reiterated its reservations about the UN resolution even as it joins NATO discussions over how to implement the measures.

"We understand those who, out of honorable motives, decided for an international military intervention in Libya," Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said. "However, after evaluating the risks we came to the conclusion that we will not participate in a military mission in Libya with German soldiers, and that's why Germany abstained in the vote."

Serious Concerns

China, too, said it still had serious concerns. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said in a statement today, "We oppose the use of military force in international relations and have serious reservations about some of the content of the resolution." He did not elaborate.

Arab League chief Amr Musa said he backed the resolution as a way of protecting civilians but cautioned he did not want any side "to go too far."

The Turkish government called for an immediate cease-fire in Libya and a peaceful solution to the conflict.

'We Will Not Be Afraid'

Earlier, Libya appeared to take a defiant position with respect to the UN resolution. Saif Qaddafi, the Libyan leader's son, dared foreign forces to take action.

"We will not be afraid. Come on! We will not be afraid," he told ABC News's "Nightline" program overnight from Tripoli.

He warned that foreign action would only unite people behind the government, saying: "You are not helping the people if you are going to bomb Libya, to kill Libyans. You destroy our country. Nobody is happy with that."

In rebel-held Benghazi, the Libyan announcement was rejected as a "bluff."

In the western town of Misrata today, doctors said heavy bombardments by Qaddafi forces today killed at least 25 people, including several children.

Benghazi and Misrata, both east of Tripoli, are the only major centers still in rebel hands as Qaddafi's forces have rolled back the rebels' early gains.

compiled from agency reports

Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/libya_no-fly_zone_united_nations_france_britain/2342541.html

Copyright (c) 2011. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.