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Libya hopes UN sanctions will be lifted soon

27 September 2011 01:33 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. Libya hopes the UN Security Council will soon lift its sanctions imposed in March against the regime of Muammar Gaddafi, the head of Libya’s transitional government said on Monday, APA reports quoting Ria Novosti.

Gaddafi funds in foreign banks have already been partially unfrozen.

’We hope that it [a vote to cancel Security Council sanctions] will take place as soon as possible," Mahmoud Jibril said. "Today we made several remarks to the Council requesting to unfreeze funds under resolution 1973."

He said the situation in Libya has changed and an asset freeze is no longer required, but an international military operation will continue until "the killings of civilians are over."

Protests against the Gaddafi government began in mid-February and spiraled into violent confrontation, leading to thousands of casualties. In March, the UN Security Council introduced a no-fly zone over Libya and started delivering pinpoint air strikes on Gaddafi’s bases.

Gaddafi was deposed in late August, when rebel troops with support of the NATO aviation, seized control over the capital Tripoli.