British, French, US leaders rule out future with Gaddafi
British PM David Cameron, US President Barack Obama and French President
Nicolas Sarkozy say it is "unthinkable" that Muammar Gaddafi would play any
role in a future Libyan government in a joint contribution to international
dailies published Friday.
By News Wires (text)
AFP - A Libyan future including Moamer Kadhafi is "unthinkable" and would
represent an "unconscionable betrayal" by the rest of the world, the leaders of
Britain, France and the United States said Thursday.
British Prime Minister David Cameron, France's President Nicolas Sarkozy and US
President Barack Obama vowed they would "not rest until the UN...resolutions
have been implemented", in a joint article published in several international
newspapers.
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Diplomacy in high gear as NATO faces dissent on Libya
LIBYA
Diplomacy in high gear as NATO faces dissent on Libya
"It is unthinkable that someone who has tried to massacre his own people can
play a part in their future government," the article, which appeared in the
London Times, The Washington Post and French daily Le Figaro, continued.
"The brave citizens of those towns that have held out against forces that have
been mercilessly targeting them would face a fearful vengeance if the world
accepted such an arrangement. It would be an unconscionable betrayal," the
leaders argued.
The publication of the article underlined US commitment to the UN-mandated
operation against Kadhafi's forces, easing earlier tensions between members of
the Western alliance.
The three leaders promised that NATO and its coalition partners would "maintain
their operations so that civilians remain protected" as long as Kadhafi was in
power.
Syndicate contentLibya
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Rooting out Gaddafi's snipers in Misrata
FRANCE 24 EXCLUSIVE - LIBYA
Rooting out Gaddafi's snipers in Misrata
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Rebel-held Misrata under siege from Gaddafi forces
FRANCE 24 EXCLUSIVE - LIBYA
Rebel-held Misrata under siege from Gaddafi forces
"Britain, France and the United States will not rest until the UN Security
Council resolutions have been implemented and the Libyan people can choose
their own future," they promised.
A failure to unseat Kadhafi "would condemn Libya to being not only a pariah
state, but a failed state too", the three men warned.
The letter was originally drafted by Cameron and Sarkozy following their
meeting in Paris on Wednesday, but Obama asked to have his name added to the
article after he was sent a courtesy copy.
France revealed earlier Thursday that US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had
rebuffed appeals for more assistance with the enforcement of the UN resolution
authorising all necessary means to protect Libyan civilians.
Washington pulled back around 50 combat planes from Libyan operations last week
after handing over control of the mission to NATO, although since then they
took part in some missions to take out Kadhafi's air defence systems.
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"We share the same goal, which is to see the end of the Gaddafi regime in
Libya, and we're contributing in many ways in order to see that goal realised."
- US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, April 14, 2011
Clinton later told NATO allies: "For our part, the US is committed to our
shared mission. We will strongly support the coalition until our work is
completed."
Backing up Clinton's promise, Obama's joint article stated it was the
coalition's "duty and our mandate...to protect civilians".
The article stressed the mandate was "not to remove Kadhafi by force" but added
it was "impossible to imagine a future for Libya with Kadhafi in power".
"The people of Libya are suffering terrible horrors at Kadhafi's hands each and
every day," the article said. "The city of Misrata is enduring a medieval siege
as Kadhafi tries to strangle its population into submission."
Britain and France on Wednesday agreed to step up military pressure on
Kadhafi's regime after world powers meeting in Doha promised Libya's rebels
cash and the means to defend themselves.
Looking to a post-Kadhafi future, the leaders said they were "convinced that
better times lie ahead for the people of Libya".
After Kadhafi leaves, the three men predicted "a genuine transition from
dictatorship to an inclusive constitutional process...led by a new generation
of leaders.
"For that transition to succeed, Kadhafi must go, and go for good," they
concluded.
Meanwhile, Kadhafi toured the streets of Tripoli on Thursday as NATO warplanes
carried out a series of air raids that rocked the Libyan capital.
In an open-top 4x4 wearing dark glasses and a hunting hat, Kadhafi hailed
bystanders as he put on a show of defiance.
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