Gaddafi emissaries' proposals are unacceptable: Franco Frattini

Published: March 10, 2011 at 10:12pm

Deutsche-Presse Agentur
Mar 10, 2011, 15:18 GMT

Lisbon/Brussels Overtures by Libya’s leader Moamer Gaddafi to start transition talks with the opposition cannot be accepted until he steps down, Italy’s Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said today.

Frattini spoke after emissaries were sent by Gaddafi to the EU capitals of Lisbon, Malta and Athens. The Portuguese daily Publico said an offer to start transition talks was delivered to Foreign Minister Luis Amado.

Amado and his colleagues from Greece and Malta briefed EU counterparts about the content of the talks during a meeting in Brussels, but Frattini indicated that what Gaddafi’s emissaries had proposed was unacceptable.

‘In none of the three cases was the possibility of Colonel Gaddafi stepping down mentioned, and it is clear that, for the EU, this is an essential condition for a national dialogue,’ Frattini said.

The identity of the Libyan representative who met Amado is not known. European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton had been informed about the meeting.

In Brussels, Amado said that he had ‘informal talks,’ during which he conveyed the message that ‘Gaddafi’s regime is finished.’ He added that he also had contacts with members of the Libyan opposition.

Libya had requested the meeting with Portugal, which chairs the United Nations’ Libya sanctions committee. Portuguese media said Gaddafi might be looking for a country where he could go into exile.




11 Comments Comment

  1. C Falzon says:

    “Malta replied that there was no mediation to do. The Libyan authorities had to listen to the wishes of the Libyan people, Dr Gonzi said.”

    http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20110310/local/pm-barroso-in-formal-meeting-in-brussels

    KMB has just been calling him (Gonzi that is) crazy for not giving the two jets back to Gaddafi. He’s worried that Gaddafi will seize some Maltese business assets as compensation. He didn’t spare a thought though for the people who would have been killed by those two jets if our PM was not crazy and sent them back – “Malta l-ewwel u qabel kollox”

  2. Harry Purdie says:

    Too many talking heads and woosies as the situation deteriorates. The NATO press conference was sickening. Anyone have any balls?

  3. Harry Purdie says:

    Other than the rebels, that is.

  4. JoeM says:

    But Frattini, on the other hand, declares that Italy recognizes “states, not groups”, which means that we’ll be having more shuffling of feet before Europe decides what to do next.

  5. john lanzon says:

    “the wishes of the Libyan people” So the Libyan Authorities should listen to the Libyan people….But this is the problem!!
    To which people should the authorities listen..to the Libyans in Tripolitania who are pro-Gaddhafi or to the Libyans in the Bengasi region who are anti-Gaddhafi.

    I think our Prime Minister is purposely being vague so as to please both sides.

    • ciccio2011 says:

      John, I have your same concerns. In fact, when Gaddafi said “All my people love me….and they would all die for me” (or something like that) I thought to myself: of course, it is very possible that HIS people love him and they will die for him.

  6. .Angus Black says:

    “To which people should the authorities listen?”

    Certainly not to those who have been paid to wave green flags and chant songs in front of a murderous tyrant.

    The PM was not vague especially when the Libyan emissary was told that Gaddafi should go and that Malta is behind the Libyan people especially those who are putting their lives on the line asking for basic human rights!

  7. john lanzon says:

    It is not a question of what you think the Prime Minister has said. He did not tell them that Gaddhafi should go. He just told them “the Libyan authorities should listen to the Libyan people”. I agree with you that he should have told them to listen only to the Libyans fighting for freedom, and not play with words as shrewd lawyers always do.

    • .Angus Black says:

      For 42 years the Libyans yearned for basic freedoms but they remained silent. The rest of the world looked the other way or assumed that they were happy with their lot.

      A few weeks ago, seeing the success Tunisia and Egypt had in dislodging their own brand of dictators, the Libyans followed suit and very clearly orally and on written placards they minced no words but wrote and chanted Gaddafi out! and Gaddafi Go!

      A few hundred paid Libyans and hundreds of imported mercenaries from neighbouring countries do not constitute the ‘voice of Libya’.

      Today’s voices of Libya are the protesters that is, until they are methodically exterminated by Gaddafi. So it follows, that ‘listening to the Libyan people ‘ can only mean one thing – Gaddafi must go, willingly or not!

      Words can be interpreted in different ways but actions speak for themselves and there have been a number of them which show that the Maltese government is not wavering or making any excuses for Gaddafi.

      The proof is in the pudding they say. One just hopes that the pudding does not get burned by being unnecessarily kept on the burner too long.

    • ciccio2011 says:

      “The Libyan authorities should listen to the Libyan people”.

      I expect them to suggest next that Gaddafi could usefully hold a referendum, with Malta drafting the question.

  8. ciccio2011 says:

    Gaddafi has sent his three kings to Europe. This time, instead of the camel, they used Gaddafi’s private jets. I wonder what gifts they brought, but apparently “birra” was not one of them.

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