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Associated Press
South African Foreign Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane says the AU needs "political space" to help solve the crisis in Libya.
Pretoria - The African Union must be given “political space” to deal with the instability in Libya, South African International Relations Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane said on Wednesday.
“The AU is central to any solution in Libya and should therefore not be sidelined or undermined in any way,” she told journalists in Pretoria.
The International Criminal Court recently issued a warrant of arrest for Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, a move which was seen as undermining AU efforts to end the country's civil war.
Nkoana-Mashabane hoped the AU would be allowed to pursue its “road map”, which intended to bring about a peaceful settlement led by the Libyans, through its ad hoc high level committee.
Should Gaddafi and the transitional national council (TNC) agree to it, the map would result in political reforms to settle the current battle between pro-democracy and pro-Gaddafi forces. This included democratic elections.
Nkoana-Mashabane reiterated South Africa's stance, which it had voiced at the United Nations Security Council, that a political, and not a military solution, was the only way out of the Libyan crisis.
She rejected suggestions for Gaddafi to leave the country.
“The AU has no go-away calendar... We want a president to stay in their country.”
On Tuesday, South African President Jacob Zuma returned from Russia, were he and President Dimitry Medvedev held talks on Libya. The meeting emphasised the urgent need for negotiations. They intended asking Nato to help persuade the TNC to remove some of the preconditions making it difficult for talks to start. The TNC insisted Gaddafi had to resign.
Nato has implemented a no-fly zone over Libya, to restrict bombardment of civilians by Gaddafi's forces. The South African government has been critical of Nato’s military campaign.
Nkoana-Mashabane said South Africa believed the UN should take the lead in peace efforts in Libya. She said the most important thing was to stop hostilities. Only then could the drafting of a constitution start.
Highlighting Gaddafi's decision not to be part of AU discussions, Nkoana-Mashabane said: “He says he does not want to stand in the way of a peaceful resolution in the country.”
Nato general secretary Anders Fogh Rasmussen, in his opinion on the AU's road map, had agreed in principle that military intervention in Libya was no solution, she said.
Libya still had to respond to the AU's plan. A meeting would be held in Addis Ababa to discuss it.
On Swaziland's request to South Africa for R10-billion in financial assistance, Nkoana-Mashabane said it was still under consideration. - Sapa
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Big Mike, wrote
The best solution in Libya, to actually saves lives, is to implement a ceasefire with AU and UN peacekeepers then have the different factions (pro-gaddafi, rebels) to talk their way toward a free election open to all candidates. Something Gaddafi already agreed to. Now its up to the rebels and Nato to show if they are true democrat or just want to held elections between themselves with their more serious contender (Gaddafi) conveniently left out of the ballot paper.
Sinies, wrote
...to protect the African Elite from being accountable for what they do to their citizens! ........................................................like the African solution in Zimbabwe?
Citizen, wrote
The AU is completely toothless and a waste of time!! What have they EVER achieved to benefit Africa so far? I cannot think of one positive outcome of the AU that has benefitted anyone. They have not solved the crisis in Zimbabwe, Ivory Coast, Sudan, Swaziland - NO WHERE!! They have no power and are a waste of money. The African leaders who make up the so-called 'decision makers' in the AU actually support dictators like Mugabe, Gadaffi and Maswati and certainly do not care about the people in conflict in those countries. JZ has had numerous promises from Gadaffi to stop butchering his own people and then he immediately contines to kill innocent civilians. People of SA - remember when we had dictators and apartheid forcing their will on us - the international community assisted in toppling that henious system of oppression... well once again the international community must rid the world of scourges like Mugabe, Gadaffi and Maswati!!
abdi alrahim, wrote
Libya's in the AU, the AU should solve this not the EU; The EU, NATO, USA has an agenda that is to drain the oil out of Libya, nothing else, what has the alliance(US, NATO etc) solved? Bosnia, Kosovo, Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia etc.?
Badballie, wrote
The AU's agenda is the protection of a dictator who supplied the ANC with funds and weapons during their own struggle. The Au is neither competent enough nor trustworthy to the majority of citizens as their solution does not provide for the removal of a dictator nor for the legal closure on a convicted war criminal. The AU should and is in some parts of the world considered to be an old boys club of Afrikan criminals and dictators who's only purpose is to protect themselves and each other from legal actions and military responces.
YULIS, wrote
I have very little recognition for AU if any. I have seen the AU fail many times, Zimbabwe, Ivory Coast amd in many African states. Libyans want democracy like South Africans did and the road to their freedom starts with the departure of Gaddaffi. Nato must intesify and continue with the operation until the mission is accomplished...
siyabonga, wrote
Does the ICC think of all people as civilians? Look at the Palestinians, it has been going on for more than 40 years. Europeans ha d colonised Zimbabwe and treated Zim natives in all possible inhuman ways for a long time. Atleast they know its not their country and it never was. They have dual citizenship (british) whilst the natives have only got Zim. Most Europeans in South Africa choose to have a selective amnesia. We were oppressed for centuries and dispossessed. Anwser this - If I took your land and died, leaving my family as new 'new owners' - whose land is it? Can my family claim both - to be innocent and the ownership of the land I killed you for? Lastly, when is the ICC arresting Bush and Blair?
stop bombing, wrote
Stop Bombing Libya ! Bombs cause Death & Destruction to Africa's no 1 Nation
Brin, wrote
mugabe & genocide in Matabeleland in the 80,s, gaddafi & Lockerbie aircraft bombing - SA supports all this "ubuntu"
paul, wrote
Nice to see that the AU support Gaddafi in the murders he has committed. A really credible organisation...ha ha.
Get Real, wrote
Presumably they want the same room to work that was afforded them in Zim and look how that turned out!
Michel Gourd, wrote
Gaddafi first, the instability after! The South African government has been critical of Nato’s no-fly zone over Libya. The political space the African Union want, to deal with the instability in Libya, can’t be granted before Gaddafi leave that country. They can discuss the warrant of arrest for Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi issued by the International Criminal after.
mal, wrote
they can't do a thing in Zim what makes them think they will make a difference here
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