African leaders urge NATO to stop Libyan airstrikes
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By Tesfa-Alem Tekle
May 26, 2011 (ADDIS ABABA) – The Africa Union (AU) security summit
ended today in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, calling for an
outright end to NATO-led air strikes on Libya.
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AU Peace and Security Commissioner, Ramtane Lamamra (Getty)
The 53 state bloc also said the air strikes in Libya have gone beyond
the range of the UN resolutions mandated to protect civilians.
"As far as NATO air strikes are concerned, you will see a clear call
by heads of state and government for those air strikes to come to an
end," said Ramtane Lamamra, the AU’s Peace and Security Commissioner
on Wednesday.
"This is part of the requirement for political solutions to become
possible," he said, adding, "The African Union shares the belief that
what is taking place now goes beyond the scope of [UN resolutions]
1970 and 1973."
AU calls come as Libya’s government proposed a new ceasefire and
offered fresh talks with rebels.
Participants in the summit denounced the direct military intervention
of western powers and accused the UN Security Council of double
standards in their approach to resolutions to different conflicts.
The AU Commission chief, Jean Ping, while addressing 37 heads of
states at the opening of the summit on Wednesday, noted that some
international players have been undermining the continent’s attempts
to resolve the conflict.
"Some international players seem to be denying Africa any significant
role in the search for a solution to the Libyan conflict," he said
adding "Africa is not going to be reduced to the status of an observer
of its own calamities" said Ping.
The two day assembly was held on account of the decision out of the
275th meeting of the UN Peace and Security Council on 26 April and has
assessed the state of the security, challenges and crises facing the
continent.
An international coalition intervened on 19 March, launching air raids
and missile strikes under a UN mandate aimed at protecting civilians
from Gaddafi’s forces. NATO took command of the air campaign on 31
March.
(ST)
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