Africa
Russia agrees to mediate Gaddafi exit
Moscow changes tack at the G8 meeting in France, saying Gaddafi has 'forfeited
legitimacy' to rule Libya.
Last Modified: 27 May 2011 13:27
The 'Arab Spring', particularly the unrest in Libya and Syria, figured high in
the G8 summit [Reuters]
As the Group of Eight [G8] meeting in France comes to an end, Russia has agreed
to mediate Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's exit.
Hours after G8 leaders asked Russia to take a mediation role in Libya on
Friday, Sergei Ryabkov, the Russian deputy foreign minister, told reporters
that "Gaddafi has forfeited legitimacy" and that Russia is ready "to help him
go".
Soon after, Mikhail Margelov, Moscow's special representative on Africa told
reporters that his country is ready to negotiate Gaddafi's departure.
Margelov explained that Russia is in contact with Gaddafi's entourage, and that
they are willing to negotiate Libyan leader's fate.
"We shouldn't talk to Gaddafi himself but with members of his cabinet, possibly
with his sons. And we are making such contacts, so there is a hope for a
political resolution," Margelov told reporters at the G8 summit in northern
France.
When asked to specify who Russia's main partner would be in such talks, he
said, "Can you imagine, if I give you this person's name and his head were to
be cut off the next day? But yes, we do have people in Gaddafi's camp."
Russia has been critical of the NATO-led bombing campaign, but after months of
violent and bloody clashes, has agreed that Gaddafi should step aside.
Nicolas Sarkozy, the French president, has thanked his Russian counterpart
Dmitry Medvedev for helping efforts to resolve the conflict in Libya.
Earlier in the day, Barack Obama, the US president, said at a G8 press
conference that following the UN mandate should be the policy toward Libya.
"We agreed that we have made progress on our Libya campaign, but that meeting
the UN mandate of civilian protection cannot be accomplished when Gaddafi
remains in Libya, directing his forces... and we are joined in [our] resolve to
finish the job," he said.
Fresh fighting in Misurata
Meanwhile, Rebels and forces loyal to Gaddafi engaged in fierce fighting on the
Western outskirts of the city of Misurata on Friday, a Reuters news agency
reported.
A medical worker on the rebel side said that six fighters had been wounded in
the fighting, two of them critically.
"We are being attacked from all sides with rockets, RPGs (rocket-propelled
grenades) and mortars," Faraj al-Mistiri, a rebel fighter, said.
"It started between 5:30am and 6:00am local time (0330-0400GMT). They have
advanced. It's normal to and fro. They are trying their hardest to get back
into Misurata," he said.
Misurata, Libya's third-largest city, is the biggest rebel stronghold in the
west of the country and has been the scene of some of the fiercest fighting in
Libya's three-month-old conflict.
The government forces have also launched rocket attacks overnight in the
rebel-held town of Zintan.
In a fresh jolt to the Gaddafi regime, Libyan central bank governor has told
Arabiya TV that he is abandoning Gaddafi to join rebels.
Meanwhile, NATO continued with its fourth night of airstrikes on Tripoli,
leaving smoke rising from Gaddafi's compound where five loud blasts were heard
in the vicinity.
Several large explosions rocked the capital late on Thursday night and a column
of smoke was seen rising from Gaddafi's Bab al-Aziziyah base.
Gaddafi 'paranoid'
Citing British intelligence reports, a European diplomatic source said on
Friday that Gaddafi has become increasingly "paranoid" about NATO air strikes,
and for safety has been hiding in hospitals.
"One quite striking thing is the fact that Gaddafi appears to be moving from
hospital to hospital, spending each night in a different one, and his motive
appears quite clear," the source said.
"He is moving from one place that we won't bomb to another place that we won't
bomb."
Also on Friday, Britain deployed Apache helicopters to Libya, marking a shift
in tactical approach toward ending Gaddafi's regime.
According to British junior defence minister Nick Harvey, the helicopters which
are on their way to the embattled country would offer "a weapon with a greater
degree of precision, which is better able to hit targets, including moving
ones, and with a lower risk of collateral damage."
But Labour defence spokesman Jim Murphy warned that the Apaches would "put
British service personnel in greater danger", as they fly lower and are more
vulnerable to surface-to-air missiles and potentially smaller weapons than they
had been with higher-flying vehicles.
The commander of NATO's operation for the North African country said on Friday
that French and British helicopters will be put into action in Libya under NATO
command as soon as they are ready.
"These helicopters will be operated under the Unified Protector mandate... they
will be brought into action as soon as they are ready," Lieutenant General
Charles Bouchard told a briefing.
Source:
Agencies
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