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Obama Condemns Libya Crackdown

   VOA News  February 23, 2011

Photo: AP

   President Barack Obama, with Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton
   at right, speaks about the situation in Libya in the White House, Feb.
   23, 2011.

   U.S.  President  Barack  Obama  says  the  violent  crackdown in Libya
   violates  international  norms  and  that  he has ordered his national
   security  team  to  prepare "a full range of options" for dealing with
   the crisis.
   Mr.  Obama,  speaking  at  the  White  House  Wednesday,  said  it  is
   "imperative  the  nations of the world speak with one voice" about the
   brutal  response  carried  out  by militiamen and supporters of Libyan
   leader Moammar Gadhafi against civilians in the North African country.
   The  president,  in his first public comments on the turmoil in Libya,
   called  the suffering and bloodshed "outrageous and unacceptable." Mr.
   Obama  said  universal  human  rights  are non-negotiable and "must be
   adhered  to."  He  said  he  is dispatching Secretary of State Hillary
   Clinton  to  Geneva  for  international  talks  aimed  at stopping the
   crackdown.
   Earlier  Wednesday,  Clinton  said  the  U.S.  is working closely with
   international   partners  to  send  a  clear  message  to  the  Libyan
   government that violence is unacceptable and that Mr. Gadhafi's regime
   will  be  held  accountable for its actions. Clinton said Washington's
   foremost  concern  must  be  the  safety and security of its citizens,
   indicating all measures were being taken to assist in their evacuation
   from Libya.
   State  Department  Spokesman  P.J. Crowley said earlier the U.S. has a
   number  of options for taking action against Libya including bilateral
   or  multilateral sanctions. He said it is important that any steps the
   U.S. takes be coordinated with the international community.
   The  European  Union  has already decided to prepare sanctions against
   Libya. Such measures could include visa bans and asset freezes.
   Also  Wednesday,  U.N.  Secretary-General  Ban  Ki-moon  repeated  his
   condemnation of the violence in Libya, saying attacks on civilians are
   a  serious violation of international law. Mr. Ban called the scale of
   the  attacks  "egregious"  and  said those responsible must be held to
   account. He called on the Libyan government to "protect its people."
   French  President  Nicolas  Sarkozy  urged  the EU to impose "concrete
   sanctions"  against  Libya.  He  said  those  involved  in the ongoing
   violence  must  know  that they will "assume the consequences of their
   actions."
   European  Council  President  Herman van Rompuy on Wednesday condemned
   what  he called "violence, aggression and intimidation" against Libyan
   demonstrators. He called for an "immediate end to the use of force."
   British  Prime Minister David Cameron said he would like to see a U.N.
   Security  Council  resolution  condemning Libya's use of force against
   protesters.  After  a  Tuesday  meeting,  the council expressed "grave
   concern" about Mr. Gadhafi's crackdown.
   On  Tuesday,  Italian  Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi telephoned Mr.
   Gadhafi  to  personally  urge him to stop the violence. Mr. Berlusconi
   has  had a friendly relationship with the Libyan leader, based in part
   on  Italy's  interests  in  securing  energy  supplies from its former
   colony and its desire for Libyan cooperation in stopping migrants from
   sailing to Italy.
   The  Libyan  leader  also  faced  diplomatic  pressure  from  his Arab
   neighbors. The Arab League held an emergency session in Cairo Tuesday,
   agreeing  to  suspend  Libya  from participating in its meetings. Arab
   League chief Amr Moussa said violence against protesters must end.

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