EU Libya emergency summit: Leaders gather in Brussels
Baku, March 11 (AZERTAC). Leaders of the EU`s 27 member-states are gathering in Brussels for an urgent summit on the Libya crisis, as differences emerge between members.
They hope to find a common approach, a day after France`s unilateral recognition of the rebel government failed to gain wider support.
In a draft document circulating in Brussels, leaders say Muammar Gaddafi must relinquish power immediately.
They say all options will be considered, including a no-fly zone.
In a joint letter, UK Prime Minister David Cameron and French President Nicolas Sarkozy say the EU must make plans to help the Libyan rebellion militarily if necessary.
An ally of the French president has hinted at targeting key Libyan military installations as a way of defending civilians.
The possibility of a no-fly zone will be discussed at the summit and whether it could be implemented without UN backing.
There remains, both in Europe and Washington, great caution about this but the credibility of the EU may be at stake if it cannot agree at the summit, BBC Europe editor Gavin Hewitt reports.
New sanctions
Responding to France`s formal recognition of the National Libyan Council (NLC), a spokesman for EU foreign affairs chief Baroness Ashton said on Thursday: "We cannot unilaterally rush into recognising groups."
The foreign ministers of Italy and Spain emphasised the need for the EU to act with one voice.
"Italy wants a European decision that everyone shares unanimously because that`s how we act credibly," Italy`s Franco Frattini said.
New EU economic sanctions against Libya come into force on Friday, targeting the country`s sovereign wealth fund and central bank.
The Libyan Investment Authority (LIA) wealth fund holds about $70bn (£43bn) and has stakes in a number of large European companies.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Janos Martonyi, whose country currently holds the EU`s rotating presidency, said on Friday that extra sanctions could include freezing the assets of Libyan oil and gas producer and exporter companies.
"Before any military step we must send very clear political messages and I expect today`s meeting of heads of state and prime ministers, that is, the extraordinary summit of the European Council, to do just that," he told Hungarian public radio MR1-Kossuth in an interview.
"The essence of the political message is that Gaddafi must quit and the conditions for a democratic transition to begin in Libya must be created."
Other news in this section
