11:12 A.M. EDT
PRESIDENT OBAMA: Good morning. Mr. Secretary General, on behalf of us
all, thank you for convening this meeting to address a task that must
be the work of all of us -- supporting the people of Libya as they
build a future that is free and democratic and prosperous. And I want
to thank President Jalil for his remarks and for all that he and Prime
Minister Jibril have done to help Libya reach this moment.
To all the heads of state, to all the countries represented here who
have done so much over the past several months to ensure this day
could come, I want to say thank you, as well.
Today, the Libyan people are writing a new chapter in the life of
their nation. After four decades of darkness, they can walk the
streets, free from a tyrant. They are making their voices heard -- in
new newspapers, and on radio and television, in public squares and on
personal blogs. They're launching political parties and civil groups
to shape their own destiny and secure their universal rights. And here
at the United Nations, the new flag of a free Libya now flies among
the community of nations.
Make no mistake -- credit for the liberation of Libya belongs to the
people of Libya. It was Libyan men and women -- and children -- who
took to the streets in peaceful protest, who faced down the tanks and
endured the snipers' bullets. It was Libyan fighters, often outgunned
and outnumbered, who fought pitched battles, town-by-town, block-by-
block. It was Libyan activists -- in the underground, in chat rooms,
in mosques -- who kept a revolution alive, even after some of the
world had given up hope.
It was Libyan women and girls who hung flags and smuggled weapons to
the front. It was Libyans from countries around the world, including
my own, who rushed home to help, even though they, too, risked
brutality and death. It was Libyan blood that was spilled and Libya's
sons and daughters who gave their lives. And on that August day --
after all that sacrifice, after 42 long years -- it was Libyans who
pushed their dictator from power.
At the same time, Libya is a lesson in what the international
community can achieve when we stand together as one. I said at the
beginning of this process, we cannot and should not intervene every
time there is an injustice in the world. Yet it's also true that there
are times where the world could have and should have summoned the will
to prevent the killing of innocents on a horrific scale. And we are
forever haunted by the atrocities that we did not prevent, and the
lives that we did not save. But this time was different. This time,
we, through the United Nations, found the courage and the collective
will to act.
When the old regime unleashed a campaign of terror, threatening to
roll back the democratic tide sweeping the region, we acted as united
nations, and we acted swiftly -- broadening sanctions, imposing an
arms embargo. The United States led the effort to pass a historic
resolution at the Security Council authorizing "all necessary
measures" to protect the Libyan people. And when the civilians of
Benghazi were threatened with a massacre, we exercised that authority.
Our international coalition stopped the regime in its tracks, and
saved countless lives, and gave the Libyan people the time and the
space to prevail.
Important, too, is how this effort succeeded -- thanks to the
leadership and contributions of many countries. The United States was
proud to play a decisive role, especially in the early days, and then
in a supporting capacity. But let's remember that it was the Arab
League that appealed for action. It was the world's most effective
alliance, NATO, that's led a military coalition of nearly 20 nations.
It's our European allies -- especially the United Kingdom and France
and Denmark and Norway -- that conducted the vast majority of air
strikes protecting rebels on the ground. It was Arab states who joined
the coalition, as equal partners. And it's been the United Nations and
neighboring countries -- including Tunisia and Egypt -- that have
cared for the Libyans in the urgent humanitarian effort that continues
today.
This is how the international community should work in the 21st
century -- more nations bearing the responsibility and the costs of
meeting global challenges. In fact, this is the very purpose of this
United Nations. So every nation represented here today can take pride
in the innocent lives we saved and in helping Libyans reclaim their
country. It was the right thing to do.
Now, even as we speak, remnants of the old regime continue to fight.
Difficult days are still ahead. But one thing is clear -- the future
of Libya is now in the hands of the Libyan people. For just as it was
Libyans who tore down the old order, it will be Libyans who build
their new nation. And we've come here today to say to the people of
Libya -- just as the world stood by you in your struggle to be free,
we will now stand with you in your struggle to realize the peace and
prosperity that freedom can bring.
In this effort, you will have a friend and partner in the United
States of America. Today, I can announce that our ambassador is on his
way back to Tripoli. And this week, the American flag that was lowered
before our embassy was attacked will be raised again, over a re-opened
American embassy. We will work closely with the new U.N. Support
Mission in Libya and with the nations here today to assist the Libyan
people in the hard work ahead.
First, and most immediately: security. So long as the Libyan people
are being threatened, the NATO-led mission to protect them will
continue. And those still holding out must understand -- the old
regime is over, and it is time to lay down your arms and join the new
Libya. As this happens, the world must also support efforts to secure
dangerous weapons -- conventional and otherwise -- and bring fighters
under central, civilian control. For without security, democracy and
trade and investment cannot flourish.
Second: the humanitarian effort. The Transitional National Council has
been working quickly to restore water and electricity and food
supplies to Tripoli. But for many Libyans, each day is still a
struggle -- to recover from their wounds, reunite with their families,
and return to their homes. And even after the guns of war fall silent,
the ravages of war will continue. So our efforts to assist its victims
must continue. In this, the United States -- the United Nations will
play a key role. And along with our partners, the United States will
do our part to help the hungry and the wounded.
Third: a democratic transition that is peaceful, inclusive and just.
President Jalil has just reaffirmed the Transitional National
Council's commitment to these principles, and the United Nations will
play a central role in coordinating international support for this
effort. We all know what is needed -- a transition that is timely, new
laws and a constitution that uphold the rule of law, political parties
and a strong civil society, and, for the first time in Libyan history,
free and fair elections.
True democracy, however, must flow from its citizens. So as Libyans
rightly seek justice for past crimes, let it be done in a spirit of
reconciliation, and not reprisals and violence. As Libyans draw
strength from their faith -- a religion rooted in peace and tolerance
-- let there be a rejection of violent extremism, which offers nothing
but death and destruction. As Libyans rebuild, let those efforts tap
the experience of all those with the skills to contribute, including
the many Africans in Libya. And as Libyans forge a society that is
truly just, let it enshrine the rights and role of women at all levels
of society. For we know that the nations that uphold the human rights
of all people, especially their women, are ultimately more successful
and more prosperous.
Which brings me to the final area where the world must stand with
Libya, and that is restoring prosperity. For too long, Libya's vast
riches were stolen and squandered. Now that wealth must serve its
rightful owners -- the Libyan people. As sanctions are lifted, as the
United States and the international community unfreeze more Libyan
assets, and as the country's oil production is restored, the Libyan
people deserve a government that is transparent and accountable. And
bound by the Libyan students and entrepreneurs who have forged
friendships in the United States, we intend to build new partnerships
to help unleash Libya's extraordinary potential.
Now, none of this will be easy. 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; there will be days
when progress is slow; there will be days when some begin to wish for
the old order and its illusion of stability. And some in the world may
ask, can Libya succeed? But if we have learned anything these many
months, it is this: Don't underestimate the aspirations and the will
of the Libyan people.
So I want to conclude by speaking directly to the people of Libya.
Your task may be new, the journey ahead may be fraught with
difficulty, but everything you need to build your future already beats
in the heart of your nation. It's the same courage you summoned on
that first February day; the same resilience that brought you back out
the next day and the next, even as you lost family and friends; and
the same unshakeable determination with which you liberated Benghazi,
broke the siege of Misurata, and have fought through the coastal plain
and the western mountains.
It's the same unwavering conviction that said, there's no turning
back; our sons and daughters deserve to be free.
In the days after Tripoli fell, people rejoiced in the streets and
pondered the role ahead, and one of those Libyans said, "We have this
chance now to do something good for our country, a chance we have
dreamed of for so long." So, to the Libyan people, this is your
chance. And today the world is saying, with one unmistakable voice, we
will stand with you as you seize this moment of promise, as you reach
for the freedom, the dignity, and the opportunity that you deserve.
So, congratulations. And thank you very much. (Applause.)
END
11:24 A.M. EDT
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