Brussels, 15/09/2011 (Agence Europe) - British Prime Minister David Cameron, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and French Foreign Minister Alain Juppé were in Tripoli and Benghazi on Thursday 15 September, where they were welcomed by the head of the National Transitional Council (NTC), Mustapha Abdeljalil, and his deputy, Mahmoud Jibril. This is the first visit by the heads of state to Libya since the fall of Tripoli on 23 August.
During a press conference, the British prime minister announced the unfreezing of frozen Libyan assets amounting to £600 million and said his country might release the equivalent of £12 billion. Sarkozy called for there to be “no violence, no account settling”, and urged the states that have fugitive Libyans on their soil to “work with the international bodies so that those fleeing might be brought to account for what has been done”, according to AFP. Both men underlined that NATO's commitment will not end until all Libyans are safe and Colonel Gaddafi has been arrested.
Total but demanding support from Parliament. The European Parliament, for its part, adopted a resolution on Libya welcoming the “courage and determination” of the Libyans. Welcoming the fall of the autocratic regime of Muammar Gaddafi, the EP hopes the Colonel and the members of his regime will be brought to justice for their crimes. MEPs express their “full support” for the National Transitional Council which has the difficult task of building a new state to represent all Libyans, a state that will bring together all the key players from all regions of the country. They call on the NTC to fully shoulder the responsibility incumbent upon it regarding the safety and wellbeing of the Libyan people, and to act in a transparent manner in full respect of democratic principles and international humanitarian law.
The resolution states that the credibility of the NTC will depend on its ability to face up to the most urgent problems, while creating conditions that are propitious for democratic institutions and national reconciliation. MEPs also want Libyan assets to be released in order to allow the NTC to ensure the necessary governance. They advocate that the NTC undertake to apply high standards of transparency in the national economic sectors of strategic importance, so that national resources will be to the benefit of all Libyans.
The Parliament calls on the EU and on member states to develop a truly common strategy that is effective and credible, support the transition process and help the country to reform its security sector, which includes border control, the fight against arms trafficking, and support for the police force. MEPs call on the states of the African League to recognise the NTC and invite all countries to work with the NTC. (CG/transl.jl)