Libya's transitional council head pledges new government will work
with world for peace
Tarek El-Tablawy, The Associated Press Sep 20, 2011 21:16:00 PM
The new Libya will join the international community as a nation
committed to peace, security, and democracy, the head of the
transitional government said Monday, as world leaders pledged support
for the nation emerging from over four decades of rule under Moammar
Gadhafi.
National Transitional Council chairman Mustafa Abdul-Jalil took the
floor for the first time at the United Nations, speaking at a high-
powered meeting attended by U.S. President Barack Obama, French
President Nicolas Sarkozy and other world leaders to assess the path
forward after Gadhafi's ouster following an almost seven-month civil
war.
Abdul-Jalil was at the world body as the new, albeit transitional,
Libyan president — an appearance that marks what the international
community hopes is the start of a new era in a nation best known for
its support of terrorism and the eccentricities of its now ousted
leader. The General Assembly voted Friday to transfer Libya's seat
from Gadhafi to the former rebel movement.
"I want to assure everyone that Libya will be a vital state, a vibrant
state that upholds the principles of peace and security in the region,
a state that respects human rights, and establishes a nation in which
Libyans can government themselves and seek official position through
elections," Abdul-Jalil told several hundred ministers and diplomats.
Emerging later from the warm reception, he told reporters: "From the
place where Moammar Gadhafi tore up the United Nations' Charter, we
return today and say that Libya, as part of the international
community, will work to achieve security and peace." He was referring
to the ousted Libyan leader's rambling 96-minute speech to the U.N.
General Assembly in 2009 where at one point he slightly ripped up the
U.N. Charter, prompting a rebuke.
While upbeat about the country's future, Abdul-Jalil told the meeting
that "the road before us is still long and there are many challenges
at many levels ... either because of the presence of Gadhafi or
because of challenges related to launching the development process to
rebuild and reconstruct the state."
"Although we are a rich country, we require assistance," Abdul-Jalil
said.
The meeting at the U.N., where Abdul-Jalil sat at a podium flanked by
the new Libyan flag along with that of the U.N., comes at a pivotal
time for the country. Although the former rebels have seized control
over much of the country, they are still battling Gadhafi loyalists in
several cities, including Sirte, which sits 250 miles (400 kilometres)
southeast of Tripoli on the Mediterranean coast. Gadhafi remains at
large and on Tuesday issued a statement, saying in an audio recording
that his regime is still alive and that was occurring in the country
now was a "charade."
Qatar's emir, Sheik Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, whose country was one
of the first and most significant backers of the former rebels, urged
all parties and sectors of Libyan society to meet "in some sort of a
national congress to consult and to agree on measure to be taken to
establish stability."
"Then only can they chart the course for the new state that the
Libyans will choose to respond to their aspirations," the emir said.
Aside from the political and security issues, the OPEC member must
also work on rebuilding its economy and restarting oil production that
essentially halted with the outbreak of violence and an exodus of the
foreign workers who man the fields. Before the civil war, Libya
produced about 1.6 million barrels per day, and only recently has
output from at least one field begun.
In addition, the NTC is grappling with the mounting humanitarian
crisis in the country, with thousands wounded in the fighting and
water and food supplies still stretched.
World leaders at the meeting predicted challenging days ahead for
Libya, but vowed to continue their support.
"After decades of iron rule by one man, it will take time to build the
institutions needed for a democratic Libya. I'm sure there will be
days of frustration," Obama said. "But if we have learned anything
these many months, it is this — do not underestimate the aspirations
and will of the Libyan people."
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told Abdul-Jalil "the United
Nations will support you in every way we can."
The international community was instrumental in the ousting of
Gadhafi, with sanctions being passed against Gadhafi's regime that
froze Libya's assets abroad while NATO, empowered by the U.N. Security
Council, conducted daily airstrikes to prevent pro-regime forces from
targeting civilians.
Abdul-Jalil acknowledged that support, saying that Libyans "salute the
international community" for its help and described the raising of the
new Libyan flag in front of the United Nations' headquarters as a
"historic day."
Sarkozy said he was proud to be part of the coalition that came to
Libya's aid and "what makes us most proud is that among those who
acted with us there were Arab brothers, Libyans, there was Qatar,
there was the (United Arab) Emirates and Jordan."
"We simply are telling our Libyan friends, tell us how long do you
want us to stay and stand with you, and we will do that," he said.
As a result of the coalition, he said, there was no massacre in
Benghazi and no repetition of the genocides in Cambodia and Rwanda.
"All the dictators in the world should know that henceforth. the
international community is not condemned to just speaking and will
take action, and where necessary with weapons in their hands in the
service of democracy," Sarkozy said.
Abdul-Jalil said during his talks with Obama before the meeting they
discussed ways of boosting security in the country, as well as
national reconciliation and moving forward toward a democratic system.
Those points are viewed as pivotal by the international community
which, while cheering the new Libyan government, also stressed its
responsibilities.
"We hope the NTC will also meet its commitments to create
representative and accountable structures, to take action to
investigation allegations of human rights abuses and to ensure justice
for all Libyans," said British Foreign Secretary William Hague.
The top British diplomat also stressed that the turnout for the Libya
gathering at the U.N., and the warm welcome that Abdul-Jalil was
receiving, should be a clear message to Gadhafi and his supporters
that "their time is up."
Gadhafi "must be brought to justice under Libyan and international
law," he said of the ousted dictator who is wanted by the
International Criminal Court. "No country should consider giving a
bolt hole to this fugitive from justice ... And any country that does
consider giving him sanctuary should remember there is no expiry date
for the charges he faces."
___
Edith M. Lederer contributed to this report.
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