EGYPT: Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa says he respects the UN-sanctioned strikes in Libya

Record ID: 562555

  • Title: EGYPT: Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa says he respects the UN-sanctioned strikes in Libya
  • Date: 22nd March 2011
  • Summary: CAIRO, EGYPT (MARCH 21, 2011) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF ARAB LEAGUE SECRETARY GENERAL AMR MOUSSA AND UNITED NATIONS SECRETARY GENERAL BAN KI-MOON AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) UNITED NATIONS SECRETARY GENERAL, BAN KI-MOON, SAYING: "These decisive measure is meant to protect the civilian population, who are being killed by Colonel Gaddafi and his regime, which is totally unacceptable and strongly condemned all across the world." JOURNALISTS AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) UNITED NATIONS SECRETARY GENERAL, BAN KI-MOON, SAYING: "I again urge Libyan authorities to fully comply with the Security Council resolution and end fighting and killing the civilian population." MORE OF NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) ARAB LEAGUE SECRETARY GENERAL AMR MOUSSA, SAYING: "We decided that the Arab League would officially ask the Security Council to take the necessary measures to impose a no-fly zone to prevent attacks on Libyan residents and civilians. This is a very clear stand and we will adhere to it. Then the Security Council decision came, and we do not have an objection to this decision, especially since it stated that there would be no troops to invade and occupy Libyan lands, and would be implemented in order to deter the great danger threatening residents of Benghazi and other places. JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) ARAB LEAGUE SECRETARY GENERAL AMR MOUSSA, SAYING: "We will continue to work on protecting civilians, and that all take this into consideration in any military move, and the protection of civilians will remain the issue that we all, the Arab League and Security Council, agree on." MOUSSA AND BAN LEAVING AT END OF CONFERENCE
  • Embargoed: 6th April 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Egypt, Egypt
  • Country: Egypt
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVAD41R7X4M6I4GR7RIEGKISVB11
  • Story Text: Arab League chief Amr Moussa said on Monday (March 21) that he respected a U.N. resolution that authorised military action on Libya, after earlier comments suggested he was concerned by actions taken by Western powers.
    Moussa made the statement during a joint news conference with visiting U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who urged Libyan authorities to end violence against civilians.
    "These decisive measure is meant to protect the civilian population, who are being killed by Colonel Gaddafi and his regime, which is totally unacceptable and strongly condemned all across the world," Ban said.
    "I again urge Libyan authorities to fully comply with the Security Council resolution and end fighting and killing the civilian population."
    Moussa had said on Sunday (March 20) that Arabs did not want military strikes by Western powers that hit civilians when the League called for a no-fly zone over Libya.
    But on Monday, Moussa confirmed the Arab League's support to the decision taken by the Security Council.
    "We decided that the Arab League would officially ask the Security Council to take the necessary measures to impose a no-fly zone to prevent attacks on Libyan residents and civilians. This is a very clear stand and we will adhere to it. Then the Security Council decision came, and we do not have an objection to this decision, especially since it stated that there would be no troops to invade and occupy Libyan lands, and would be implemented in order to deter the great danger threatening residents of Benghazi and other places.
    Moussa added that the protection of civilians was the chief priority for both the Arab League and the Security Council as they push to end the regime of Colonel Gaddafi in Libya.
    Western powers launched a second wave of air strikes on Libya early on Monday after halting the advance of Gaddafi's forces on Benghazi and targeting air defences to let their planes patrol the skies over the North African state.
    The United States, carrying out the air strikes in a coalition with Britain, France, Italy and Canada among others, said the campaign was working and dismissed a ceasefire announcement by the Libyan military on Sunday evening.
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