Libya - Latest Updates Part II ( Archived) (937)

Libyan protestors outside the Libyan Embassy in Malta managed to climb the facade of the embassy and hoist the pre-revolution tricolor flag instead oif the official all-green one associated with Gaddafi. The new flag which has now become the symbol of the revolution was raised high to the jubaltion ofthe crowd present.

This has come after the ambassador kept holding strong against demands by the protestors to do so himself. While he has shown regret for any victims of the crisis, the ambassador had remained strong in his support for Gaddafi and even held a press conference in past days to defend allegations. He had however said that he is ambassador of the Libyan people and will thus except to represent all Libyans whatever their opinion.

Washington, March 1 (IANS) International pressure began to mount on defiant Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi to quit with the US issuing an ultimatum to him to surrender power "without delay" and the European Union imposing an arms embargo and other restrictions.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton bluntly told the Libyan leader to surrender power "now, without further violence or delay", the New York Times reported.

The prime ministers of France and Britain echoed Clinton's call while Germany proposed a 60-day ban on financial transactions.

taly's foreign minister Sunday suspended a non-aggression treaty with Libya on the grounds that the Libyan state "no longer exists".

British Prime Minister David Cameron declared: "It's time for Colonel Gaddafi to go."

The international pressure began mounting after calls by the UN for "concrete action" to protect civilians in Libya, following crackdown on protesters in the north African country.

However, Libyan government spokesman, Musa Ibrahim, denied reports that Colonel Gaddafi's loyalists had turned their guns on civilians.

"No massacres, no bombardments, no reckless violence against civilians," he said at a news conference attended by foreign journalists.

However, media reports say, about 1,000 people have been killed and over 100,000 have fled anti-government unrest in Libya in the past two weeks.

On Monday, anti-government protesters gained control of four Libyan cities and formed a council to begin the transition of power from Muammar Gaddafi's 41-year-old rule.

According to the BBC, unrest continues in and around Tripoli where a demonstration against Gaddafi in the capital's suburb of Tajoura saw protesters chanting, "The blood of martyrs won't go to waste."

The areas reported to be under control of anti-government forces include Az-Zawiya, Misurata, Benghazi and Al Baida, Al Jazeera reported.

The anti-regime protests are sweeping through north Africa and the Middle East.

The unrest in other countries, including Yemen, Bahrain, Algeria and Iraq, were triggered after weeks of unrest in Tunisia toppled the 23-year-rule of Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali Jan 14. A similar uprising began Jan 25 in neighbouring Egypt, leading to the fall of president Hosni Mubarak Feb 11 after 30 years in power.

thank you toxi and zeus

Libya rebels resume oil exports
Libya's revolutionary leaders sought to prove their pro-western credentials on Monday by announcing an immediate resumption of oil exports to foreign clients – even though the proceeds will go straight to Col Muammar Gaddafi.

For the first time in over a week, oil was shipped from the eastern port city of Tobruk, deep in territory that has fallen to a civilian-led insurrection that has styled itself the Free Libya movement.

A tanker carrying 700,000 barrels of crude oil sailed for China, with a second bound for Italy due to leave in the next 48 hours.

Such quantities may be trifling when compared the vast amount of oil in the world's waterways at any one time, but the resumption of Libyan exports has already done much to soothe international concern.

"The main reason to keep the oil flowing is that the crisis will be much worse, both for the international community and for us if we don't," said Idris al-Sharif, an official affiliated with the new authority in eastern Libya said.

Libya: West ready to use force against Col Gaddafi amid chemical weapon fears
David Cameron and other Western leaders are on the brink of ordering military action against Col Muammar Gaddafi amid fears that the Libyan dictator could use chemical weapons against his own people.

Adding to growing concern about the crumbling regime’s ability to commit last desperate acts of mass murder, British sources have disclosed that Libya still has stocks of mustard gas chemicals.

But he said that the use of armed force should be "the last resort" and should be backed by overwhelming international support through the United Nations.

The warnings were sounded after Gaddafi was accused of ordering Libyan aircraft to attack a radio station being used by rebels in the city of Benghazi. An arms depot being used by anti-government forces was also blown up in the town of Ajdabiya, 100 miles further south

Despite a promise in 2003 to give up weapons of mass destruction, Gaddafi is thought to have retained as much as 14 tons of the chemicals required to create mustard gas.

The stocks are said to be stored in secret secure facilities in the Libyan desert. The chemicals would need to be mixed and loaded into shells before they could be used as weapons, but are “still a concern,” said a senior British government source. “We want to make sure they’re destroyed.”

Oh Great ! Here we go again .......the old " He has WMD's" excuse to begin military intervention .......

Well of course j.Just like with Iraq.But yet it's claimed by our leaders that the U.S.A doesn't tell other countries what to do.Ya right.

Libya has denied entry into its airspace to a Canadian Air Force C-130 Hercules transport aircraft which had intended to pick up oil workers in Tripoli.

Permission has however been granted to an Italian air force aircraft after it too had initially been refused the go-ahead.

Tripoli airport officials later claimed the refusal to the Canadian aircraft was because of lack of space at Tripoli airport.

The Canadian aircraft is returning to Malta.

Canada has closed its embassy in Tripoli and suspended diplomatic relations.

Meanwhile there were 18 militarary and civilian aircraft on the ground in Malta this morning as part of the Libya evacuation. They came from Canada, Britain, Romania, Sweden, Libya and Italy.

But it was not just evacuated workers which military aircraft were bringing to Malta. A Belgian C-130 arrived carrying a restored flemish tapestry.