Brussels, 23/05/2011 (Agence Europe) - Shortly after the EU Office opened in Benghazi, the foreign affairs ministers of the EU27 gave their support, on Monday 23 May, to the Transitional National Council (TNC) which the EU describes as the “the key political interlocutor representing the aspirations of the Libyan people”. “The EU supports the TNC efforts to fulfil its responsibilities vis-à-vis the Libyan population, notably to respond to essential social, economic and administrative needs in accordance with the relevant UNSC resolutions”, the ministers state in conclusions adopted at Monday's Foreign Affairs Council. The EU27 also welcome the creation of a temporary financial mechanism designed to provide short-term financial support for the opposition to Colonel Gaddafi's regime. The Council is of the opinion that the legal options to use frozen Libyan assets to respond to the humanitarian needs of the Libyan population should be looked into, the conclusions state. In the longer term, “The EU stands ready, as soon as conditions allow, to mobilise its instruments, including the ENPI, to support the Libyan people in their effort to build a prosperous and democratic state, based on respect for human rights, fundamental freedoms and the rule of law.” On Sunday 22 May Catherine Ashton personally attended the opening of the new “technical office” of the EU in Benghazi. “As soon as circumstances allow”, the EU will also open a delegation to Tripoli, the ministers announced on Monday.
Extended sanctions. The Council also decided to extend the sanctions in place against Colonel Gaddafi's regime (visa bans, freezing of assets) to one extra person and one additional economic entity. The decision will be published in the Official Journal this Tuesday. In their conclusions, the foreign affairs ministers repeat their calls for a “genuine and immediate ceasefire” and stress that “Colonel Gaddafi has lost legitimacy and that he must relinquish power immediately”. The Council also states that the EU is prepared to carry out a CSDP operation, to be known as “EUFOR Libya”, to support humanitarian aid in Libya, “if requested by UN OCHA (United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs”.
Additional humanitarian aid. In the meantime, the European Commission on Monday 23 May announced further humanitarian aid of €20 million in favour of the Libyan population, bringing to €70 million the sum total of humanitarian aid made available by the European Commission for Libya to date. (H.B./transl.fl)