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New beginning for Libya is within our grasp, David Cameron tells summit
Nicholas Cecil, Deputy Political Editor29 Mar 2011
David Cameron today promised a "new beginning for Libya" was within sight as Britain held open the door for Colonel Gaddafi to flee into exile.
He vowed that the UK and other allies would not abandon the people rising up against the dictator.
At the start of a summit in London on Libya's future, he said: "Our message to them is this: there are better days ahead for Libya. Their courage and determination will be rewarded. A new beginning for Libya is within their grasp and we will help them seize it."
Foreign Secretary William Hague had earlier made it clear that Britain may be willing to allow Gaddafi to flee into exile. Piling the pressure on the dictator, America and Britain also refused to rule out arming the rebels.
Mr Cameron added: "We made the right choice. That was to draw a line in the desert sand to halt Gaddafi's murderous advance by force. Our action saved the city of Benghazi. It averted a massacre. And it has given freedom a chance in Libya."
France, which has been at the forefront of the campaign against Gaddafi, struck a more forceful tone, suggesting the strikes could go beyond the mandate of just protecting civilians.
"We, the French and English, we consider that we must obtain more" than the end of shooting at civilians, said defence minister Gerard Longuet on France-Inter radio.
He also said Libyan politicians could be targeted because they gave orders to the military. President Barack Obama has stressed that he is not pursuing regime change in Libya.
Mr Hague signalled that Britain may be willing to allow the tyrant to escape to a safe haven as part of a deal to end the bloodshed.
"We are not in control of where he might go. I am not going to choose Colonel Gaddafi's retirement home," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
Italy has already proposed an exit route into exile for Gaddafi - and Turkey has offered to act as a mediator to end the conflict.
As foreign ministers of 35 nations gathered in London for talks on post-Gaddafi Libya, the US ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice, said Washington had not ruled out arming the rebels. Defence Secretary Liam Fox said Britain had no such plan but stopped short of completely ruling it out.
Italian foreign minister Franco Frattini said several nations planned to put forward a deal at the conference which would propose a ceasefire, exile for Gaddafi and a framework for talks on Libya's future between tribal leaders and opposition figures. Mr Hague and Mr Cameron met US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton before the summit.
Mr Hague also met Mahmoud Jabril, special envoy for the rebels' interim transitional national council, in London and stressed that rebel fighters must not target civilians.
Representatives of the rebels' council were not at the summit.
Nato chiefs have not ruled out attacks on the rebels if they start attacking civilian areas in Sirte or Tripoli.
The conference, attended by Qatar, Iraq, Jordan, Morocco, Lebanon, Tunisia and the United Arab Emirates, was designed to ensure "maximum political and diplomatic unity" on Libya. Russia, which has condemned the military intervention, is not attending.
Last night, Mr Obama defended his country's military action in Libya and said it would now move to a supporting role.
Reader views (3)
Who does this mutt Cameron think he is telling what the future holds for Libya. He has been a lap dog for the corrupt EU for that long, he forgets that Libya has "nothing" to do with him,,, oh,, apart from the oil.
- Trafalgar Dreadnought Sherwood, UK, 29/03/2011 22:29
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Oh, doesn't he just love the world stage? Quite happy to spend billions on this while making an incontinent 71yr old lady prove she needs help with funding for her incontinent pads because of cuts. Yes he's a right sweety pie. Billions for Europe and bailouts, billions for overeas aid, billions for air raids on Libia. So nice to know he has his priorities right.
- Sylvie, Epping Essex, 29/03/2011 20:28
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No doubt by this, Cameron means giving our hard-earned taxpayer cash to a few shady blokes and to pay for it, Cameron will impose more 'austerity measures' on his own UK people. We're already getting involved in something we shouldn't, so why should we have to bankroll these guys?
- Gatedweller, The People's Republic of Newham, 29/03/2011 18:39
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