Brussels, 23/02/2011 (Agence Europe) - Reacting to Colonel Gaddafi's intransigence and determination to continue with the violent repression of protests in Libya “to the last drop of blood”, the EU decided on Tuesday 22 February 2011 to suspend the talks that began in November 2008 on an EU-Libya Framework Agreement. Other restrictive measures may follow soon because the ambassadors of the EU member states met on Wednesday afternoon, 23 February, in the Policy and Security Committee (COPS) to discuss Libya and examine options open to the EU, including other restrictions, ranging from freezing assets and a visa ban for Libyan leaders to bans on arms sales and full suspension of all economic and financial ties with the country, explained diplomats ahead of the meeting. The meeting was still under way as we went to press. Well-informed sources say that no actual decisions on sanctions are expected at this stage but it is possible that the ambassadors will ask experts to prepare measures for future use if needs be.
More and more member states are ready to take this step. Following Finland and Germany, France and Luxembourg are now openly calling for sanctions. The hate-filled and threatening televised speech from Gaddafi on Tuesday evening is reported to have made other countries, previously reluctant to take action (countries like Italy, Malta and the Czech Republic, worried about Europeans in Libya and a flood of illegal immigrants) think twice. President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy seems to back the idea of sanctions, saying on 23 February that the horrendous crimes being committed by the regime against demonstrators are unacceptable and that something has to be done.
EU still calling for “dialogue”. Meanwhile, the EU still says that it is for the Libyan people to choose their own leaders and it is not the EU's job to call on Colonel Gaddafi to step down (Ed.: it acted the same way with former President Mubarak in Egypt). On Wednesday, a spokesperson for Catherine Ashton said it was up to the Libyan people to choose their leaders, but the man mainly responsible for the current violence - Gaddafi - must immediately put an end to the unacceptable bloody repression. The spokesperson said the EU wants dialogue immediately as the only way of avoiding further blood baths.
Debate at the Commission. In a meeting attended by Ashton on Wednesday, the EU College of Commissioners held a wide-ranging debate about the situation in North Africa, particularly Libya. The Commission spokesperson said the Commission was still firmly supporting the people working for democracy and freedom and would assess options and existing policies and mechanisms for supporting the democratic, social and economic development of the countries in the region. The spokesperson said that the EU had to be in the front line of providing and coordinating international aid in the region. Commenting on Libya, the Commission says it is unacceptable for the leader of a country to threaten his own citizens, and the Commission is prepared to help the member states evacuate the 10,000 or so Europeans still in Libya.
Interruption of Libyan gas supplies? The Commissioners also talked energy in relation to the Libyan crisis, and the threat of oil and gas supplies from the country being interrupted, but decided that this had to be put into perspective in the light of the true balance of forces between Libya and the EU. Apart from Italy, which gets some 15% of its gas from Libya, the country provides little gas to the rest of Europe and certainly not a key amount, explained a Commission spokesperson. However, the sale of gas to Europe generates 55% of Libya's GDP and it was, therefore, not in the country's interest to interrupt gas supplies to Europe.
Buzek calls on Gaddafi to step down. The President of the European Parliament (EP), Jerzy Buzek, says that Gaddafi has lost all legitimacy and therefore called on him to recognise the situation as one of no-return and to act in consequence. Buzek said that the atrocities being carried out by the Libyan regime must not go unpunished. Daniel Cohn-Bendit, joint leader of the Greens/EFA at the EP, wants the United Nations to coordinate humanitarian aid and issue sanctions against the Gaddafi regime, saying medical assistance for the victims of the violence should be shipped or flown over urgently and a total arms embargo issued against the country.
Meanwhile, Libya's ambassador to the EU, Haidi Hadeiba, told this newsletter on 23 February that he would remain Libyan ambassador to the EU and “faithful to Gaddafi”. (H.B./transl.fl)