- Norway will support Libya

Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre says the news that the Libyan city of Sirte has fallen and that former dictator Muammar Gaddafi is dead marks a historic turning point for Libya.

Støre said this after the interim Libyan Prime Minister, Mahmoud Jibril, had confirmedthat the rebel forces had full control over the city of Sirte and that Muammar Gaddafi was killed in the fighting.

“Gaddafi’s reluctance to engage in dialogue with his own people has helped to perpetuate a conflict that has caused great suffering among the civilian population,” said Mr Støre.

“I hope that a declaration of independence will be issued soon. This would mark the beginning of a new democratic process in the country, which would lead to the formation of an interim government and the holding of national elections in the near future,” said Mr Støre.

“Norway will support Libya in the important reconciliation and reconstruction efforts that must now get under way. This must be a broad, inclusive process in order to lay the best possible basis for a unified and democratic Libya. We expect the National Transitional Council to respect international law and humanitarian law in its further efforts to ensure national unity,” said the Norwegian Foreign Minister.

(NRK/Press release)

Friday, 21 October 2011 06:42

Written by Rolleiv Solholm

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