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U.S. still awaiting Libya’s permission to evacuate Americans

23 February 2011 01:19 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. The United States has been unable to get Libya’s permission to evacuate Americans from the country, State Department officials said Tuesday, prompting the administration to temper its response to the Libyan crackdown, APA reports quoting The Washington Post.
State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said that Libyan officials had promised over the weekend to support U.S. efforts to evacuate American citizens but that the necessary permits for charter flights hadn’t been granted.
"What we can’t figure out is whether there’s just chaos at the airport, which is entirely possible, or whether the Libyans are not cooperating," Crowley said in an interview. Earlier, he told a news briefing that the U.S. government is evaluating options to help Americans leave the country by land or sea.
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton reiterated her "alarm" Tuesday about the loss of protesters’ lives in Libya but added that "the safety and well-being of Americans has to be our highest priority." Libya has been swept by angry demonstrations for more than a week, and leader Moammar Gaddafi vowed again Tuesday to put down the revolt.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Gaddafi’s speech "amounted to him declaring war on his own people." Several U.S. lawmakers called for reimposing sanctions against Libya that were lifted by the administration of President George W. Bush.
Crowley was reserved, however, when asked about Gaddafi’s speech. "This is ultimately and fundamentally an issue between . . . the Libyan government, its leader and the Libyan people," he told reporters. He called on the government to respect universal rights but did not condemn Gaddafi by name.
"There’s a sequence here. The first step is to get American citizens out of harm’s way," said a senior U.S. official, speaking on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter. "The second step is to fully document the human rights violations that are occurring. And the third step will be to take appropriate action under our laws."
Washington has limited leverage over Libya, which it had shunned for decades before reestablishing full diplomatic relations in 2008 after Gaddafi’s government renounced support for terrorist groups.
U.S. officials are also aware of Gaddafi’s penchant for blaming foreigners for the country’s problems. The Libyan leader gave his speech Tuesday in front of one of his Tripoli residences that was bombed by U.S. forces in 1986 and left unrepaired. "We defied America from here, America with its power," Gaddafi declared, vowing to "die here as a martyr" rather than flee Libya.
About 5,000 U.S. citizens live in Libya, most of them dual nationals. There are roughly 600 American residents who don’t also have Libyan citizenship, Crowley said. The State Department on Sunday ordered the departure of 35 U.S. diplomats and their families.
The U.N. Security Council on Tuesday condemned Libya’s "use of force against civilians" and the "repression of peaceful demonstrators." The council called on Libyan authorities to show restraint, respect press freedom and provide immediate access for international human rights agencies and aid agencies.
The 15-nation council met at the request of Libya’s deputy ambassador, Ibrahim Dabbashi, who has broken with Gaddafi. Dabbashi had urged the United Nations to impose a no-fly zone over Libya to prevent attacks on civilians and to authorize an international investigation into alleged war crimes.
Dabbashi said he appreciated the council’s tough rebuke of Libya, although he would have preferred more forceful action.
He also said he had received fresh evidence of a crackdown by Gaddafi’s forces in western Libya.
"I hope the information I get is not accurate," he said. "If it is right, it will be a real genocide."