TUNISIA: U.S. Undersecretary of State William Burns says the only chance of a stable Libya lies with the departure of Muammar Gaddafi

Record ID: 1546551

  • Title: TUNISIA: U.S. Undersecretary of State William Burns says the only chance of a stable Libya lies with the departure of Muammar Gaddafi
  • Date: 28th June 2011
  • Summary: TUNIS, TUNISIA (JUNE 27, 2011) (REUTERS) ***CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** VARIOUS OF OFFICIALS ARRIVING VARIOUS OF U.S. UNDERSECRETARY OF STATE WILLIAM BURNS MEETING TUNISIAN PRIME MINISTER MOHAMED GHANNOUCHI BURNS SPEAKING TO PRESS VARIOUS OF GATHERED MEDIA / BURNS (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. UNDERSECRETARY OF STATE WILLIAM BURNS, SAYING: "I very much appreciate the hospitality of the prime minister with whom I just had an excellent conversation about Tunisia's transition and about the shred challenges that we face in this region." MORE OF PRESS / BURNS SPEAKING (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. UNDERSECRETARY OF STATE WILLIAM BURNS, SAYING: "We, working with our partners in the international community, are determined to keep up the pressure because we're convinced that the only stable future for Libya lies in the departure of Mr. Gaddafi and giving Libyans the chance to build the sort of future that they deserve." PRESS ASKING QUESTIONS / BURNS SPEAKING (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. UNDERSECRETARY OF STATE WILLIAM BURNS, SAYING: "Our assistance since the revolution has amounted to something like 30 million dollars which is fifteen times what our assistance program was before the revolution and that's aimed in large part at supporting the transition." MORE OF PRESS / BURNS (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. UNDERSECRETARY OF STATE WILLIAM BURNS, SAYING: "Tunisia began this wave of revolutions, these democratic transitions. It takes on a special significance and its success as a kind of exemplar for the rest of the region adds to the importance and adds to our stake in the success of Tunisia's transition." U.S. AND TUNISIAN FLAGS OFFICIALS AND PRESS MEMBERS LEAVING
  • Embargoed: 13th July 2011 01:29
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Tunisia, Tunisia
  • Country: Tunisia
  • Topics: Conflict,International Relations,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA3B83MXFXU4NTC13VLW9VDM1TI
  • Aspect Ratio: 4:3
  • Story Text: The United States believes the only chance for a stable Libya lies with the departure of Muammar Gaddafi, Undersecretary of State William Burns said on Monday (June 27).
    Spekaing in Tunisia, Burns said that the U.S. was "convinced" the stability of Libya and the future of it's people can only be guaranteed without the embattled leader.
    "We, working with our partners in the international community, are determined to keep up the pressure because we're convinced that the only stable future for Libya lies in the departure of Mr. Gaddafi and giving Libyans the chance to build the sort of future that they deserve," Burns said.
    His comments come as a top UN official said Libya's rebels, with support from NATO, now have a tentative upper hand in the fight against forces loyal to Gaddafi.
    The International Criminal Court (ICC) had earlier approved the prosecutor's request for arrest warrants for Gaddafi, his son Saif al-Islam and intelligence chief Abdullah al-Senussi on charges of crimes against humanity.
    ICC prosecutors allege the three were involved in the killing of civilian protesters who rose up in February against Gaddafi's 41-year rule.
    Burns meet with the Tunisian Prime Minister Mohammed Ghannouchi and spoke of the U.S. assistance in helping Tunisia's democratic transition.
    "Our assistance since the revolution has amounted to something like 30 million dollars which is fifteen times what our assistance program was before the revolution and that's aimed in large part at supporting the transition," he said.
    Tunisia has been in limbo since ruler of 23 years Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali fled the North African country on Jan. 14 in the face of a popular revolt, unleashing a wave of protest movements across the Arab world.
    The road map to a new democratic Tunisia involves the constituent assembly election in October, followed by parliamentary and presidential elections sometime next year.
    Burns said Tunisia's model for democratic reform should provide a blueprint for change in the region.
    "Tunisia began this wave of revolutions, these democratic transitions. It takes on a special significance and its success as a kind of exemplar for the rest of the region adds to the importance and adds to our stake in the success of Tunisia's transition," he said.
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