NIGERIA: Former U.S. President Bill Clinton say Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi still has chance to leave peacefully

Record ID: 234869

  • Title: NIGERIA: Former U.S. President Bill Clinton say Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi still has chance to leave peacefully
  • Date: 26th March 2011
  • Summary: LAGOS, NIGERIA (MARCH 25, 2011) (REUTERS) FORMER UNITED STATES PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON WITH WALKING TO ARTIFACT SHOP VARIOUS OF BILL CLINTON INSIDE ARTIFACT SHOP ONLOOKERS TAKING PICTURES OF BILL CLINTON USING PHONES (SOUNDBITE) (English) BILL CLINTON, FORMER UNITED STATES PRESIDENT, SAYING: "International community did the right thing to try to stop what clearly was going to be a wholesale killing of the people who want to replace Mr. Gaddafi and I hope it will be successful. I think it would be a good thing if he left, he can still leave peacefully, he has plenty of money, he could go into exile, give the people their country back and their oil back. I mean that oil belongs to the people of Libya and it is being used to pay for mercenaries to come in and kill them. So I hope it will prevail. And I appreciate the fact that Nigeria supported the resolution in the UN security council to get it done." VARIOUS OF CLINTON BUYING ARTIFACTS ARTIFACTS OF SALE (SOUNDBITE) (English) BILL CLINTON, SAYING: "They want this so far as possible to be their own revolt, as it was in Tunisia, as it was in Egypt, as it has been in Yemen but the imbalance in arms was so great and his willingness to kill his own people was so unlimitedm that someone had to try to at least balance the scales and give them a chance. All we're doing is giving them a chance, I hope they make it." TRADERS AT THE ARTIFACT SHOP BILL CLINTON WALKING AWAY
  • Embargoed: 10th April 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Nigeria, Nigeria
  • Country: Nigeria
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVAA1LKCVGEF1YMYBJFD4A307YSO
  • Story Text: Former U.S. President Bill Clinton has said Western nations were right to intervene in Libya to prevent the killing of civilians and Muammar Gaddafi still has a chance to step down peacefully.
    Former president Bill Clinton said on Friday (March 25) Western nations were right to intervene in Libya to prevent the killing of civilians and hoped the revolt against gaddafi would succeed.
    Clinton, in Nigeria to attend an awards ceremony hosted by leading newspaper 'This Day', said Muammar Gaddafi still had the chance to leave power peacefully.
    "International community did the right thing to try to stop what clearly was going to be a wholesale killing of the people who want to replace Mr. Gaddafi and I hope it will be successful. I think it would be a good thing if he left, he can still leave peacefully, he has plenty of money, he could go into exile, give the people their country back and their oil back. I mean that oil belongs to the people of Libya and it is being used to pay for mercenaries to come in and kill them. So I hope it will prevail. And I appreciate the fact that Nigeria supported the resolution in the UN security council to get it done," he said.
    Clinton dismissed the prospect of NATO getting bogged down in a prolonged war in Libya, saying Western powers had made it clear they would not send in ground troops and plans had been put place to complete the intervention in time the shortest time.
    "They want this so far as possible to be their own revolt, as it was in Tunisia, as it was in Egypt, as it has been in Yemen but the imbalance in arms was so great and his willingness to kill his own people was so unlimitedm that someone had to try to at least balance the scales and give them a chance. All we're doing is giving them a chance, I hope they make it," he said.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register