FRENCH president Nicolas Sarkozy and British prime minister David Cameron yesterday hailed a “free Libya” but warned that the fugitive Muammar Gadafy remains a threat. Theirs was the first visit by foreign leaders to the country since he was deposed.
The two leaders, whose forces spearheaded the Nato intervention that helped oust Gadafy, arrived in Tripoli before travelling to Benghazi, which was the cradle for the revolution that toppled the 42-year-old regime.
The visit, which took place amid tight security in both cities, came as anti-Gadafy forces entered the deposed leader’s hometown of Sirte for the first time.
“Your city was an inspiration to the world,” Mr Cameron said as both leaders stood on the steps of the Benghazi courthouse which became the revolution’s headquarters in late February.
“Col Gadafy said he would hunt you like rats but you show the courage of lions.”
Mr Sarkozy vowed that they would stand with Libya during its transition to democracy.
“Friends in Benghazi, we ask one thing. We believe in a united Libya, not a divided Libya,” he said. “You wanted peace, you wanted liberty, you want economic progress. France, Great Britain and Europe will be on the side of the Libyan people.”
At an earlier press conference in Tripoli, Mr Cameron pledged to help bring Gadafy to justice.
“We must keep on with the Nato mission until civilians are all protected and until this work is finished,” he said.
“We will help you to find Gadafy and to bring him to justice.”
Mr Sarkozy insisted there was “no ulterior motive” in western assistance to the new Libya. “We did what we did because we thought it was right,” he declared.
In Tripoli, the two leaders, accompanied by their foreign ministers Alain Juppé and William Hague, met Mustafa Abdel Jalil, head of the National Transitional Council (NTC). He travelled with them to Benghazi, along with de facto deputy prime minister and oil minister Ali Tarhouni.
Mr Cameron said Nato would continue its UN-mandated air operations until Gadafy loyalists in Sirte and a number of southern towns surrender.
“We will go on with the Nato mission for as long as is necessary under UN Resolution 1973 to protect civilians,” he said. “This work isn’t finished yet. There are still parts of Libya under Gadafy control.
“The message to Gadafy and all those still holding arms on his behalf is: It is over. Give up.
“Those who still think Gadafy has any part in any part of government of any part of this country should forget it. He doesn’t. It is time for him to give himself up.”
Mr Cameron also said Britain would release £600 million (€690 million) in Libyan assets as part of efforts to support Libya’s new leadership.
He added that Britain would release another £12 billion (€13.65 billion) in frozen Gadafy regime assets once the UN Security Council approved a draft resolution that Britain and France are to put forward.
Col Gadafy’s fugitive spokesman, Moussa Ibrahim, issued a message from his hiding place yesterday. “The leader is in good health, in high morale – of course he is in Libya,” he said. “The fight is as far away from the end as the world can imagine.”