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| Africa North | ||
| Rock star welcome for Sarkozy, Cameron in Libya | ||
| 2011-09-16 | ||
| TRIPOLI/BENGHAZI: Nicolas Sarkozy and David Cameron landed in Libya to a heroes' welcome on Thursday, promising help for the new rulers that French and British air power helped to install and being told the favor may be repaid in business contracts. Just three weeks after rebel forces backed by NATO bombers overran the capital, French President Sarkozy and the British prime minister promised in Tripoli to help hunt down the fugitive Muammar Qaddafi and to hand his frozen assets to his successors.
"It's great to be here in free Benghazi and in free Libya," said Cameron as he strained, rock-star hoarse, above the chants in televised scenes both men will hope play well back home. The French president, struggling for re-election next year, beamed at grateful chants of "One, two, three; Merci Sarkozy!" while the two leaders, flanking NTC Chairman Mustafa Abdel Jalil, held his arms aloft like a victorious boxer. "France, Great Britain, Europe, will always stand by the side of the Libyan people," said Sarkozy, whom many Libyans credit with making a decisive gamble, pulling in a hesitant United States and securing UN backing for NATO airstrikes to halt Qaddafi's tanks as they closed in to crush Benghazi.
In Tripoli, Libyan interim Premier Mahmoud Jibril spoke at a heavily guarded news conference of "our thanks for this historic stance" taken by France and Britain to launch the West into a war that did not always look set to end well for the rebels. Both countries offered continued military support against Qaddafi loyalists holding substantial parts of Libya as well as in hunting the former strongman and others wanted for crimes against humanity. Sarkozy said he would raise the issue with neighboring Niger, a former French colony where some of Qaddafi's senior aides and one of his sons have sought refuge. "This is not done. This is not over," Cameron said in promising further military and other aid. "There are still parts of Libya that are under Qaddafi's control. Qaddafi is still at large and we must make sure that this work is completed." Although Sarkozy hotly denied talk among Arabs of "under the table deals for Libya's riches", interim Libyan leader Abdel Jalil said key allies could expect preferential treatment in return for their help in ending 42 years of Qaddafi's rule. "As a faithful Muslim people," he told reporters in Tripoli, "we will appreciate these efforts and they will have priority within a framework of transparency." | ||
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #1 Next time I hope they deserve full credit. I'm certainly willing to give it to them for this one.By the time all results are in, it may be an orphan. |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2011-09-16 05:13 |