Brussels, 25/03/2011 (Agence Europe) - On Friday 25 March, the 27 EU leaders managed to overcome their fundamental differences of opinion regarding military intervention in Libya and unanimously expressed the EU's resolve to contribute to implementing UN Security Council Resolution 1973 - the single aim of which is to protect the civilian population - and to find a political solution to the crisis. With the Arab League, the African Union and the UN under Resolution 1973, the “EU will intensify its efforts to find a solution to the crisis which responds to the legitimate demands of the Libyan people”, EU heads of state and government affirm in the conclusions to the European Council adopted on Friday. They also reiterate their demand that Colonel Gaddafi should leave “immediately” in order to allow the Libyan people to make an “orderly (…) transition to democracy through a broad-based dialogue, taking also into consideration the need to ensure Libya's sovereignty and territorial integrity”.
The EU is ready to “help foster the dialogue”, including with the National Transition Council (NTC), and will continue to provide humanitarian aid to all those who need it, the leaders say. Preparations with a view to providing military support to humanitarian aid and civil protection operations, as part of the common security and defence policy (CSDP), will be pursued and “stepped up”. The 27 EU member states are also available to help Libya on the economic front, the Council conclusions read.
Further sanctions in sight. The EU states its willingness to adopt further economic sanctions, including to “ensure that oil and gas revenues do not reach the Gaddafi regime”, and will recommend that the UN Security Council do likewise. The prospect of further strengthening sanctions mainly meets with the approval of Germany which, failing its participation in the military operation, had in recent days greatly underlined the need to step up economic and financial pressure on the regime in Tripoli. Berlin even expressed the wish for the EU to decree a “total oil embargo” but other countries, such as France, stressed that sanctions should only target Colonel Gaddafi's regime so that the Libyan rebels that control the regions rich in fossil fuels would be spared. A compromise was finally made.
Military action to prevent a “bloodbath”. Herman Van Rompuy, the permanent president of the European Council, was particularly pleased with the unity shown by all 27 EU members. “We have shown our unity and our determination” in taking the measures needed to “stop Gaddafi from killing his own people”, he told the press on Friday. Decisions taken by the European Council are “very significant”, whether these be sanctions, humanitarian aid or political dialogue with the new Libyan leaders and their people, he said. Addressing the press on Thursday evening (24 March) after his first working session, Van Rompuy welcomed the fact that “actions undertaken by a coalition of European, Arab and North American countries implementing the UN resolution have contributed to protect the civilian population of Libya”. “A bloodbath has been avoided; thousands of lives have been saved”, he added. Van Rompuy went on to say that it is obvious for the EU27 that the “military operations should cease as soon as the civilian populations are safe”.
France. Nicolas Sarkozy, who showed obvious satisfaction at the leadership role that he is playing in the international coalition conducting military operations in Libya, told the press that the EU was “totally united” on the Libyan issue. “Gaddafi cannot, therefore, count on Europe or the coalition being divided”, the French president said, taking delight in the fact that all 27 had (unanimously, he pointed out) recognised that military action, although not gaining unanimity within the EU, “has largely contributed to saving the lives of civilians”. Everyone at the European Council, he said, today acknowledges how “relevant the choice of intervention was”. EU unity is “all the stronger” as the European Council was able to specify the conditions in which military intervention will have attained its objective, said Sarkozy, explaining: “and that will be when the population is protected”. He went on to welcome the decision taken by the Arab Emirates to contribute 12 aircraft to the coalition. After Qatar, this is the second Arab state to take part in the operation. When asked about the role of NATO, Sarkozy recognised that the operation is now based on “NATO machinery” although he went on to specify that “political coordination must remain in the hands of coalition member states, all of which are not members of NATO”, in line with the “agreement” reached by Sarkozy with US President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron. The international coalition will apply the “UN resolution and nothing but the resolution” with a “single objective - protection of the people”, Sarkozy again stressed. Finally, it will be up to the Libyans to oust Gaddafi and build their own future, he said, adding: “We are not there to build the new Libya for the Libyans”.
Franco-British initiative. Sarkozy also announced on Friday that Paris and London were preparing an initiative with a view to reaching a political and diplomatic “solution” for Libya, beyond military intervention. “The next stage is the London summit on Libya”, scheduled for Tuesday 29 March, when the members of the coalition will “discuss political steering and the next stages of the military operation”, Sarkozy said, adding: “It is very likely that, before this summit in London, David Cameron and I will propose a common way. It will be a Franco-British initiative to emphasise that the solution cannot only be a military one but will also necessarily be political and diplomatic”. David Cameron, British Prime Minister, also said that the meeting in London, to be attended by Catherine Ashton also, should “reflect on the future”. (H.B. with A.N.S.P./L.C./transl.jl)