WORLD NEWS_ Libyan diplomats expelled from Britain to make way for transitional council

Libyan diplomats expelled from Britain to make way for transitional council

Diplomatic offensive paves way for transitional council presence in London as bombing steps up against Gaddafi forces in Libya

Nicholas Watt and Haroon Siddique
guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 27 July 2011 11.22 BST
Article history


The move by the UK foreign office comes as bombing against Muammar Gaddafi's security and intelligence apparatus is stepped up. Photograph: Mohamed Messara/EPA

Britain is expelling the Libyan chargé d'affaires and all remaining embassy staff in London as it steps up the diplomatic offensive against Muammar Gaddafi.

In a rare step, the foreign secretary, William Hague, is announcing that representatives of the Libyan national transitional council (NTC) are to be invited to run the embassy.

The move is in line with the conclusions of the international contact group, which is co-ordinating policy on the Libyan crisis. But it is an unusual move for Britain, which normally recognises states rather than governments.

At the start of the conflict, Britain declined to follow the example of the French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, who recognised the council as the legitimate government of Libya. But Hague has now said he and the prime minister have decided to recognise the NTC as Libya's "sole government authority".

A foreign office source said: "We dragged in the chargé d'affaires. He and his colleagues are now packing their bags. We now regard the NTC as the legitimate expression of the Libyan people. We have invited them to set up shop and represent the Libyan people with full diplomatic status. This is the next, obvious step in showing our support for the NTC."

The source said Britain would continue to abide by the convention whereby it recognises states rather than governments. "These are exceptional circumstances. It was an anomaly that we had these people here still representing Gaddafi."

Hague announced the unfreezing of £91m of Libyan assets for the benefit of the opposition. The international contact group recognised the NTC as the country's "legitimate authority" earlier this month.

The renewed diplomatic offensive comes as British aircraft have stepped up the bombing against Gaddafi's security and intelligence apparatus before the start of Ramadan on 1 August.

On Monday, there were signs that Britain was softening its position when Hague said Gaddafi could stay in Libya if he agreed to relinquish his hold on power.

The suggestion was rejected by the international criminal court, which insisted that a new government in Libya would be obliged to arrest the dictator under warrants issued by the court.

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