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UN's Ban Praises Security Council Sanctions on Libyan Leaders

   VOA News  February 27, 2011
   Brazilian Ambassador to the United Nations Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti,
   right,   listens  as  United  Nations  Secretary-General  Ban  Ki-moon
   addresses the Security Council

   Brazilian Ambassador to the United Nations Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti,
   right,   listens  as  United  Nations  Secretary-General  Ban  Ki-moon
   addresses  the  Security  Council  after  they  voted on the peace and
   security in Africa, Saturday, Feb. 26, 2011 at U. N. headquarters

   U.N.  Secretary-General  Ban  Ki-moon  has  praised  the U.N. Security
   Council  for  imposing  sanctions  on Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi in
   response  to  his deadly suppression of a popular uprising against his
   42-year rule.
   Mr.  Ban  says  the  Council's  unanimous adoption of the sanctions on
   Saturday  "sends a strong message that gross violations of basic human
   rights  will  not  be  tolerated, and that those responsible for grave
   crimes will be held accountable."
   Mr.  Ban  also  says  "even bolder action may become necessary" in the
   coming days.
   The  Security  Council  resolution  freezes the assets of Mr. Gadhafi,
   four  of his sons, a daughter and 10 members of his inner circle.  It
   also imposes a travel ban on the 16 individuals.
   Other  sanctions  include  an  immediate  arms  embargo on Libya and a
   request  for a permanent war crimes tribunal to investigate the Libyan
   government for possible crimes against humanity.
   U.S. President Barack Obama for the first time on Saturday also called
   on  Mr.  Gadhafi  to  step down.  White House officials say Mr. Obama
   made  the  remark  in  a telephone conversation with German Chancellor
   Angela Merkel.
   The officials say Mr. Obama stated that "when a leader's only means of
   staying  in  power  is to use mass violence against his own people, he
   has  lost  the  legitimacy  to  rule and must do what is right for his
   country by leaving now."
   Also Saturday, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Mr. Gadhafi has
   "lost  the  confidence  of  his  people  and should go without further
   bloodshed and violence."
   The Obama administration refrained from demanding Mr. Gadhafi's ouster
   while  it was evacuating U.S. citizens from Libya - a process that was
   completed Friday.  Some U.S. lawmakers had been calling for a tougher
   U.S. response to Mr. Gadhafi's crackdown.
   In  another  punitive  move  by  Washington,  Clinton  said  the State
   Department  has  revoked U.S. visas held by Libyan leaders and members
   of their immediate family.
   Australia  also announced unilateral sanctions against Libya Saturday,
   saying  it  has  banned Mr. Gadhafi and 21 members of his inner circle
   from  entering Australian territory and engaging in financial dealings
   with Australians.
   U.S.  Ambassador  to  the  United  Nations  Susan  Rice  said the U.N.
   Security  Council  came  together  to  condemn  the violence in Libya,
   demand  a stop to the killing, and adopt "biting" sanctions, targeting
   what she calls Libya's "unrepentant leadership."
   Deputy  Libyan  Ambassador  to  the  United  Nations  Ibrahim Dabbashi
   welcomed  the  resolution,  saying  it  gives "moral support to people
   resisting"  the  Libyan  government.   Libya's U.N. mission is one of
   several around the world that have turned against Mr. Gadhafi.

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References

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