FILE: Libya's former top oil industry official, Shokri Ghanem, has died in exile in Austria, apparently of natural causes, according to police

Record ID: 344611

  • Title: FILE: Libya's former top oil industry official, Shokri Ghanem, has died in exile in Austria, apparently of natural causes, according to police
  • Date: 30th April 2012
  • Summary: ROME, ITALY (FILE - JUNE 1 , 2011) (REUTERS) FORMER LIBYAN NATIONAL OIL CORP HEAD SHOKRI GHANEM ARRIVING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) FORMER LIBYAN NATIONAL OIL CORP HEAD SHOKRI GHANEM SAYING: "I am Dr Shokri Ghanem from the Libyan National Oil Corp. I worked for this organisation for a number of years thinking that it would be possible to improve it from the inside, even in the hardest conditions. It seems impossible that I carry on working, especially after all the killing of the best and most loyal young people without stop. We have lost loyal people every day, who were fighting to save their country and keen to build a bright future. God have mercy on them all, dwell and rest in peace. I left my position and left home to join the public to build a democratic country and go with the current spirit and respect law and human rights. God save Libya and may she stop bleeding and spread love and peace and security in Libya." PHOTOGRAPHERS GHANEM LEAVING
  • Embargoed: 15th May 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Italy, Libya
  • City:
  • Country: Italy Libya
  • Topics: Obituaries,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA14A63NQO8RANDYWZPVL6SSFYL
  • Story Text: Libya's former top oil industry official, Shokri Ghanem, has died in exile in Austria, apparently of natural causes, police said on Sunday.
    Ghanem, 69, had been chairman of Libya's state-owned National Oil Corporation (NOC) before defecting last year several months after opponents of Muammar Gaddafi had risen up against the Libyan leader and begun a rebellion.
    As NOC chairman since 2006, Ghanem helped steer Libya's oil policy and held the high-profile job of representing Libya at OPEC meetings.
    As head of Libya's OPEC delegation, Ghanem often visited Vienna for meetings under Gaddafi's rule.
    A Vienna police spokesman said an autopsy would be performed to determine the cause of death.
    After making a final break with the Gaddafi administration last year, Ghanem first appeared in Rome, saying he had defected because of the violence being used by government forces to try to put down the rebellion.
    "I am Dr Shokri Ghanem from the Libyan National Oil Corp. I worked for this organisation for a number of years thinking that it would be possible to improve it from the inside, even in the hardest conditions. It seems impossible that I carry on working, especially after all the killing of the best and most loyal young people without stop." he told a news conference in June 2011.
    He was believed to have been living in Europe since then but was still closely associated with Gaddafi's rule by Libya's new rulers, and had ruled out going back to his home country.
  • Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
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