Brussels, 05/04/2011 (Agence Europe) - The EU is not opposed to Libyan insurgents selling gas or oil abroad as long as the proceeds from such sales are not used to the advantage of Colonel Gaddafi's regime, the spokesman for Catherine Ashton told the press on Tuesday 5 April. “If the revenues do not reach the Gaddafi regime, then we have no issue with commercial dealings with Libyan oil and gas”, he said. The EU's stance is in line with the resolutions of the UN Security Council, which identified a number of individuals and entities linked to the Gaddafi regime with which trade is prohibited. Trading relations with the rest of the country, including oil and gas sites in the hands of the rebels, “should be regulated by normal trade practices”, he stressed. Qatar has already stated it is ready to facilitate sales of oil under the control of the rebellion (according to press reports, a first tanker is due to arrive in the port of Tobruk, to the east of the country, on 5 April for the first loading). On the other hand, the Libyan arms embargo remains “total”, Ashton's spokesman said. All sales of weapons, including to the rebels, are banned by sanctions in place, he said. (H.B./transl.jl)