International reactions to the 2011 military intervention in Libya
Encyclopedia
The international reactions to the 2011 military intervention in Libya
were the responses to the military intervention in Libya
by NATO and allied forces to impose a no-fly zone
. The intervention was authorized by United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973
, approved in New York on 17 March, in response to the civil war
in the North African state, though some governments allege participants in the operation exceeded their mandate.
Overall response from governments was generally split between strong opposition and conditional support for the intervention.
– The Secretary General of the Arab League
, Amr Moussa
, on 20 March said that the Arab League had wanted "the protection of civilians and not the shelling of more civilians", but on 21 March reiterated his support for the operation, something that is in accordance with what he said on 20 March, concerning the civilian casualties caused by the foreign intervention.
– The secretary-general of the GCC strongly endorsed the use of international force in Libya on 21 March, lauding coalition forces for "protecting the people from bloodshed". GCC member state Qatar
is joining coalition efforts to enforce the no-fly zone.
, a Muslim Brotherhood
-linked pro-government party in Algiers
, called upon the coalition to halt military strikes against targets in Libya and urged the Arab League
to affirm a "crystal clear and frank position on the side of the Libyan people". At a press conference after meeting with President Abdulaziz Bouteflika, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov
said that Russia and Algeria both oppose the international intervention in Libya on principle. On 21 March, Algerian Foreign Minister Mourad Medelci
said his government believes "this intervention to be disproportionate in relation to the objective set out by the United Nations Security Council resolution" and demanded "an immediate cessation of hostilities and foreign intervention." The government has reportedly refused to allow coalition aircraft to pass through Algerian airspace during operations in Libya.
– After the UN Security Council voted to establish a Libyan no-fly zone, Egypt declined to join in enforcement, despite having the largest military in the Arab League
and voting with that body to endorse the no-fly zone's creation. Foreign Minister Nabil Elaraby
said Egypt was choosing to stay out of the conflict due to the large number of Egyptian nationals in Libya. Presidential candidate Amr Moussa
, the head of the Arab League, described airstrikes against Gaddafi's military in support of the UN mandate as "bombardment of civilians ... [that] led to the deaths and injuries of many Libyan civilians" and said he intended to call an emergency meeting of the Arab League, multiple members of which are now involved in enforcing the no-fly zone, to respond to the situation. Namibia
n press reported in early April that Egyptian embassy officials in Windhoek
had indicated the Egyptian government's support for the resolution provided it led to the protection of civilians and the promotion of democracy.
– A spokesman for the Iraqi government told Reuters
on 21 March that Baghdad
backs the military intervention that followed "to protect the Libyan people". Powerful Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, however, criticized both the international action and the Gaddafi regime, saying the government in Tripoli
should relinquish power but warning that airstrikes could cause civilian casualties.
– The government was party to an international summit on 19 March in Paris to weigh military intervention in Libya after the UN Security Council voted to create a no-fly zone over the country, but a government spokesman said Jordan's armed forces would not be involved in enforcing the UN mandate. On 4 April, two Royal Jordanian Air Force
fighter jets arrived at a military airbase in the European Union
to support the coalition. Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh said they would provide "logistical support" and help escort Jordanian transports making use of the humanitarian corridor to deliver aid and supplies. Judeh also said his government was prepared to "pursue efforts at all levels" to help protect civilians and end the crisis.
– The government approved of the creation of the no-fly zone. UK Prime Minister David Cameron
announced Kuwait would be making a "logistical contribution" to international military efforts in Libya.
– Lebanon introduced and voted for United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973
, claiming to act on behalf of the Arab League
.
– Colonel Muammar Gaddafi
, defacto leader of the Libyan regime, called the air strikes "terrorism" and said he and his supporters would fight "crusaders" and "imperialists" to the death. The head of the General People's Congress, Mohamed Abu Al-Quasim al-Zwai, called the attacks "barbaric". State media has consistently reported that airstrikes have targeted "military and civilian" areas, and the government alleged around 100 civilian deaths have been caused by international forces. The government accused coalition powers of "trying to push the country to the brink of a civil war" and alleged the air strikes were intended to help the rebels, not protect civilians.
– President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz
condemned international intervention in Libya after France, the United States, and the United Kingdom spearheaded airstrikes against Gaddafi's forces in support of a UN mandate.
– The government was party to international talks in Paris on 19 March to discuss how to implement the UN mandate in Libya after the UN Security Council voted for a no-fly zone. After meeting with an envoy from Gaddafi's government, Foreign Minister Taieb Fassi Fihri said on 18 April, "Morocco considers that ... the solution can not be military. It can only be political, forward-looking and allowing the Libyan people to democratically determine their future." Fihri also said that his government participated in recent conferences with members of the international coalition and allies, including the Paris summit, to help honor its "commitment to full respect for Libya's territorial integrity and national unity".
– The government confirmed it was dispatching Qatar Emiri Air Force fighter jets to Libya on 20 March. "Qatar will take part in the military operation out of belief in the need for Arab states to contribute, for the situation has become unbearable in Libya", Emir Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani said.
– The government is reportedly allowing coalition airplanes to traverse Sudanese airspace during operations in Libya.
– The post-revolution government of Tunisia declined to join international military operations in Libya, with a spokesman saying it was "out of the question".
– The United Arab Emirates Air Force
was to be involved in enforcing the no-fly zone, but the government opted to narrow its mission to providing humanitarian aid before reversing itself and sending 12 fighter jets to the Mediterranean to support international efforts. On 20 April, Al Arabiya
reported that the government called for more airstrikes, insisting that Gaddafi must leave Libya and would not do so peacefully.
recommended that the government formally approve of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973
, saying, "Ensuring the security of civilians in Libya is, of course, an important issue", though he complained that the UN was acting swiftly to stop Gaddafi's alleged crimes but was not making the same effort to enforce resolutions on Nagorno-Karabakh
that the Azerbaijani government contends its neighbor Armenia
has violated.
– The United Kingdom is making use of its military bases in Cyprus to support coalition forces enforcing the naval blockade and no-fly zone in the Libyan theater. President Dimitris Christofias
said his government does not support the intervention and is unhappy over the UK making use of the bases, though he acknowledged the UK has the legal right to do so, as they lie within its overseas territory of Akrotiri and Dhekelia
on the island. Christofias has previously expressed his desire to see the British military presence removed from Cyprus.
– On 21 March, Supreme Leader
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
accused the West of having "come after Libyan oil". He also stressed that "Iran utterly condemns the behaviour of the Libyan government against its people, the killings and pressure on people, and the bombing of its cities... but it (also) condemns the military action in Libya". Khamenei stated that he preferred arming the rebels rather than bombing the country Iran's Ambassador to the UN Mohammad Khazaei said on 17 March 2011: "Iran has showed that it is not interested in meddling in any country's internal affairs, nor wants military presence, and thus condemns any such actions."
– The government endorsed the intervention. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said, "Western intervention in Libya will have a positive ripple effect in Iran and elsewhere in the region". Netanyahu also said "I would expect that the world put similar pressure on Iran. Iran is at least equal to Libya, and I believe that its importance is even greater."
– After initially opposing international intervention in Libya, on 20 March, the Foreign Ministry released a statement after the UN Security Council voted to impose a no-fly zone over the North African state saying "Turkey will make the necessary and appropriate national contribution on grounds that the operation will protect the interest of the Libyan people ... and provide them salvation". Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu
, who leads the opposition Republican People's Party
, endorsed international military action in Libya, saying, "If the United Nations has passed such a resolution, then this [operation] has gained international legitimacy", and praising Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
's shift toward supporting the no-fly zone and other measures. On 21 March, Turkey's representative to NATO blocked the alliance, many members of which have already deployed forces to the Mediterranean for action in Libya, from formally joining enforcement of the Libyan no-fly zone, though Turkey voted along with the rest of NATO members for enforcement of a less controversial arms embargo. A deal was ultimately reached through intensive negotiations between Ankara
, London, Paris, and Washington for NATO to assume responsibility for the no-fly zone as well.
– President Ian Khama
was strongly supportive of the resolution, saying all countries should support the "well-intended" international intervention. "The least we can hope for from this intervention is the intended protection from brutality, leading to death in many cases, of Libyan citizens opposed to Muammar Gaddafi and his dictatorship", said Khama.
– After meeting with President Paul Biya
, the French ambassador to Cameroon said Biya concurs with the French position supporting the no-fly zone and the need for a ceasefire in Libya, the state-owned media outlet Cameroon Radio & Television
reported on 28 March.
– President Idriss Déby Itno, who came to power with Libyan help, criticized the Western military intervention, warning it could have "heavy consequences" and worrying about the precedent it set. Chad's ambassador to the United Nations
reportedly told journalists, "This has to finish fast." In a statement, the government asked for coalition forces to ensure the protection of Chadian nationals in Libya, whom it said rebels had "singled out", "paraded on television as mercenaries", and "executed".
– Deposed ex-President Laurent Gbagbo
claimed that Gaddafi was the victim of a "neo-colonial" plan.
– President Yahya Jammeh
urged Gaddafi to step down and criticised the African Union
for its "unacceptable silence." The Gambian government arranged for the evacuation of over 300 citizens of ECOWAS
countries on 19 March, state-owned media reported. The government of Gambia recognized the rebel National Transitional Council
on 22 April.
– Gabon voted for the UN resolution imposing a Libyan no-fly zone on 17 March in its capacity as a nonpermanent member of the United Nations Security Council
.
– Foreign Minister Alhaji Mohammed Mumuni said that the government supported the UN in its efforts to protect civilians, saying, "Right from the onset when the crisis broke, Ghana's position was that we want to stand by the people of Libya, and we want to defend their right to live in dignity and their right to be free from any violence." However, Mumuni said, the government does not appreciate the usage of the resolution to justify airstrikes in Libya.
– The government refused to permit Guinean citizens to rally against the intervention and in support of Gaddafi on 25 March.
– Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka
expressed opposition to international intervention in Libya and said it was "the time for Africa" to negotiate a solution to the crisis in the AU member state. It was unclear whether he was voicing his personal views or representing the position of the Kenyan "unity government" in his comments.
– President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf
called for an end to the airstrikes, saying her position is that "violence does not help the process whichever way it comes" and calling the situation "a tragedy on all sides as lives and properties are being destroyed", according to her press secretary.
– President Hifikepunye Pohamba
, whose party received support from Muammar Gaddafi during the Namibian War of Independence
, condemned the NATO intervention and described the intervention as "interference in internal affairs of Africa." In his official speech he said, "As we celebrate our 21st independence anniversary, our Libyan brothers and sisters are attacked by non-African forces. Namibia reiterates the decisions of the AU Peace Council and Namibia rejects in the strongest terms any interference in internal affairs of Africa." Several MPs and high-ranking ministers assented with Pohamba's position, with the deputy speaker of Parliament
referring to the West
as an "enemy ... planning day and night how to keep Africa in perpetual tutelage" and even attacking the International Criminal Court
, from which she suggested Namibia should withdraw.
– The government prohibited a planned pro-Gaddafi, anti-intervention rally in late March.
– Nigeria voted for the UN resolution to establish a Libyan no-fly zone in its capacity as a nonpermanent member of the UN Security Council on 17 March. The Nigerian ambassador to Namibia
said in early April that his government supported the resolution because it took a neutral stance and helped to advance peace while allowing humanitarian aid to continue flowing into Libya.
– On 22 March, President Paul Kagame
told the BBC
Africa Have Your Say programme: "It was the right thing to do. I fully support that. The fact that mistakes were made elsewhere in other instances doesn't make it right not to act in this particular case."
– The government did not allow demonstrators protesting the airstrikes and expressing support for Gaddafi to march in Dakar
, though it made no effort to prevent them from rallying in the Islamic Institute of Dakar on 30 March.
– South Africa voted for the UN resolution to establish a Libyan no-fly zone in its capacity as a nonpermanent member of the UN Security Council on 17 March. On 21 March, President Jacob Zuma
called "for an immediate ceasefire in Libya" and demanded that "operations aimed at enforcing the no-fly zone and protecting civilians should be limited to just that." He also demanded that "the UN Security Council Resolution should be implemented in letter and spirit by all members of the UN Security Council." Some unnamed government officials have voiced concern that three of the five African Union
states on the five-nation ad hoc panel, of which South Africa is a member, intended to mediate the crisis are "financially reliant" upon Gaddafi and his regime. They reportedly questioned whether Pretoria
should be party to the five-nation panel.
– President Yoweri Museveni
on 21 March accused Western nations of double standards, a thirst for more oil and declared, that he is "totally allergic to foreign, political and military involvement in sovereign countries, especially the African countries." He called upon the Libyan opposition groups, if they are patriots, to fight their war by themselves.
– On 25 March, President Rupiah Banda
said he backed UN Security Council Resolution 1973. "Zambia is a member of the African Union which supports the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council, and I am a member of the AU. I believe in it and I support it", said Banda.
– On 21 March, President Robert Mugabe
sharply condemned international military action in Libya, claiming coalition nations are "vampires" trying to get their hands on the country's oil. The Movement for Democratic Change
, led by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai
, took a milder tone, calling for a ceasefire.
– President Evo Morales
, the 2006 recipient of the Al-Gaddafi International Prize for Human Rights
, demanded that U.S. President
Barack Obama
be stripped of his Nobel Peace Prize
for authorizing the attack against Libya.
– Brazil abstained from voting on United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973
and opposed the military intervention in Libya.
– Canada has strongly supported both NATO and the UN with respect to military intervention in Libya under Operation Mobile
. Canada has committed six CF-188 fighter jets, two CP-140 Aurora maritime patrol aircraft, and two CC-130J Super Hercules tactical transports to the operation, as well as 435 military personnel. HMCS Charlottetown has also been dispatched to the area and Lt.-Gen. Charles Bouchard of Canada will take command of the NATO mission in Libya. JTF2 special operations
teams are also reportedly working with British SAS
and SBS
teams.
– Colombia, a nonpermanent member of the UN Security Council, voted to approve United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973.
– In a written statement, the government backed the intervention. The statement read in part, "Costa Rica believes that governments have the responsibility of protecting civilians in case of conflicts. ... Attacks to human rights should never remain in impunity."
– The government condemned the NATO military intervention in Libya. A statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Cuba said, "Conflicts should be resolved through dialogue and negotiation, and not by the use of military force".
– President Rafael Correa
described the military intervention "unacceptable". A statement issued by the Ecuador's Foreign Ministry said the government "warned that the declaration of a no-fly zone by the Security Council of the United Nations on Libya could lead to a broader intervention."
– A government spokesman indicated support for the resolution, but the government has not yet made a formal statement.
– A statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 20 March regarding the conflict in Libya said, "The terms of the UN Security Council resolution must be fulfilled."
– The government condemned the intervention. Hundreds rallied in Managua
against the international military efforts in several government-sanctioned demonstrations in the days following the passage of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973. Miguel D'Escoto
, an international relations adviser to President Daniel Ortega
, strongly criticized the UN for passing the resolution, called it "a weapon of death at the hands of the empire". D'Escoto called the joint operation "a totally unjust war" and said it violated international law and the principle of self-determination.
– President Ricardo Martinelli
compared Gaddafi to former Panamanian strongman Manuel Noriega
and likened the coalition airstrikes on Gaddafi's forces to Operation Just Cause, the United States military intervention that removed Noriega from power in 1989. "What the Libyan regime has done ... deserves the punishment and condemnation of the entire international community", Martinelli said on 20 March.
– Foreign Affairs Secretary Jorge Lara Castro
said the NATO bombing of Libya "reflects UN weakness, particularly at the Security Council".
– President Alan García expressed support for the NATO intervention. "[The intervention] is demonstrating that international law is fundamental to the coexistence of peoples", García said.
– In June, 2011, Ohio Democratic Congressman Dennis Kucinich
in a bipartisan Congressional effort filed a lawsuit against the Obama Administration for "violating the Constitution" and for taking the United States into war in Libya which was undeclared by Congress and ignoring the War Powers Act. The lawsuit also called for the immediate cease of appropriating all U.S. military funds in the Libyan war.
– President José Mujica
opposed the Libya bombings by the NATO coalition, calling them an "inexplicable contradiction".
– President Hugo Chávez
, the 2004 winner of the Al-Gaddafi International Prize for Human Rights
, condemned the attacks, calling it an attempt by the West and the U.S. to control the oil in Libya. Chavez said about the NATO intervention, "They are throwing bombs, and those bombs fell down on any place such as a hospital or a house. That is something imperialistic, the indiscriminate bombings." After the death of Muammar Gaddafi
, Chávez appeared to blame the United States
, saying in reference to it, "Most regrettably, in their intent to rule over the world, the [Yankee] empire and its allies are setting fire to it."
also called for an internal solution to the emerging factionalism in Libya.
– On 17 March, India abstained from voting on the United Nations Security Council resolution to establish a Libyan no-fly zone in its capacity as a nonpermanent member. The Ministry of External Affairs
said, "India views with grave concern the continuing violence, strife and deteriorating humanitarian situation in Libya. It regrets the air strikes that are taking place. The measures adopted should mitigate — and not exacerbate — an already difficult situation for the people of the country". India called upon all parties to abjure use of or the threat of use of force and to resolve their differences through peaceful means and dialogue.
– Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa
called for a ceasefire and an end to airstrikes on 28 March and said his government condemned violence on all sides. On 5 April, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
said that after a ceasefire was agreed, Indonesia would gladly contribute to a UN peacekeeping effort in Libya.
– On 24 March, the Foreign Ministry expressed concern over international operations in Libya "which have caused the loss of lives and property of Libyan people and affected peace and stability in the region". It called for the end of military action and for all sides to seek a diplomatic end to the crisis. Also in August state owned Lao Airlines
bought 2 Airbus A320
ordered by Afriqiyah Airways
in which hit the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1970
.
– The Foreign Ministry issued a statement on 19 March in which it "took note" of the resolution and expressed its hopes for a cessation of violence. In a statement published 26 March, the minority Socialist Party of Malaysia said it "strongly denounces the imperialistic military intervention in Libya" and accused "Western imperialist powers" of trying to control Libyan oil and halt the momentum of the Arab Spring
.
– The government denounced the United States for the military intervention in Libya. In an interview with the Korean Central News Agency
(KCNA), a Foreign Ministry spokesperson described the military intervention as "infringement on national sovereignty" and "inhumane crime against the people of Libya".
– The Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement on 22 March, saying, "Peaceful political solution needs to be evolved by the Libyan people themselves in the spirit of mutual accommodation and national reconciliation." The statement also called Gaddafi's claims of civilian deaths resulting from coalition airstrikes "extremely distressing". On 28 March, Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir
criticized the United Nations
over the passage of the resolution and singled out the Australian government specifically for supporting it, saying, "It's one thing to pontificate from afar and quite another to actually understand a society you're trying to change. Pakistan will react very strongly against any attempt to intervene in the internal events of a sovereign nation." Bashir insisted that "the UN must respect the sovereignty of states and abide by the principle of non-interference and non-intervention" and called the no-fly zone "a mistake".
– On 17 March, the People's Republic of China abstained from voting on, rather than use its veto to block, the United Nations Security Council
resolution to establish a Libyan no-fly zone. The Foreign Ministry said that it has "serious reservations" about a UN decision calling for a no-fly zone over Libya and regretted the military strike against Libya. Along with Russia, the PRC said the resolution's backers failed to explain adequately how the no-fly zone would work and what the rules of engagement would be.
– The Department of Foreign Affairs welcomed the resolution and said military operations were unlikely to affect Filipinos who have remained in Libya during the conflict. "This UN action is a humanitarian measure which is meant to safeguard the civilian population in Benghazi and other contested areas of said country", said a government spokesman on 19 March.
– The Ministry of Foreign Affairs supported the resolution and endorsed its stated intent to protect civilians. The statement expressed hopes for a quick end to the conflict as so to avoid more loss of life on both sides.
– Foreign Affairs Minister G. L. Peiris
said, "The government does not approve air strikes on Libya since they cause suffering to the people of that country."
– Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva
said his government acknowledged and would comply with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973, but expressed caution and said Bangkok
would not likely determine its official stance on the intervention until a meeting of the Association of South-East Asian Nations.
– A Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson said, "Viet Nam is deeply concerned about the escalating tension and recent military activities in Libya with many consequences to the lives of Libyan people and regional peace and stability. Viet Nam urges the parties concerned to exercise restraint, put an early end to military activities, promote dialogue and seek peaceful solutions in line with the United Nations Charter and the principles of international law and the respect of the independence and sovereignty of states."
supports the decision of the coalition to protect civilians from the Libyan regime of Gaddafi. In a press release of the Prime Ministry, these operations are considered entirely legitimate, having as main objective the protection of freedoms and universal rights that Libyans deserve. Berisha said his country is ready to help.
– A statement issued by the Foreign Ministry said, "The missile strikes and bombings on the territory of Libya go beyond Resolution 1973 of the UN Security Council and are in breach of its principal goal, ensuring safety of civilian population. The Republic of Belarus calls on the states involved with the military operation to cease, with immediate effect, the military operations which lead to human casualties. The settlement of the conflict is an internal affair of Libya and should be carried out by the Libyan people alone without military intervention from outside."
– The government committed several F-16 Fighting Falcon
jets and at least one ship to aid in enforcing the UN mandate in Libya.
– On 17 March, Bosnia and Herzegovina voted for a United Nations Security Council resolution to establish a Libyan no-fly zone in its capacity as a nonpermanent member.
– Prime Minister Boyko Borisov
made an official statement supporting the resolution and called for Gaddafi to step down, but told TV7 that the intervention was an "adventure" oil grab by the western powers. President Georgi Purvanov criticised the intervention, and said that NATO should have had a unanimous support for it. Foreign Minister Nikolai Mladenov dissented from Purvanov's position, calling the president's comments "absurd" and criticising him for airing his misgivings publicly.
– President Ivo Josipović
said that if it becomes necessary Croatia will honour its NATO membership and participate in the actions in Libya. He also stressed that while Croatia is ready for military participation according to its capabilities, it will mostly endeavor to help on the humanitarian side.
– There was a considerable debate in the Czech Republic over its stance on Libya. Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg
appears to have flipflopped throughout the discussion. On 22 February, Schwarzenberg joined Georgian diplomat Vashadze in calling for the West to "punish" Gaddafi for his "violent actions. On 24 February, Schwarzenberg changed his stance to saying that the West should stay out of Libya. On 1 March, Schwarzenberg said that the West should intervene only if disaster threatened. On 20 March, Schwarzenberg said the EU should not "get involved too much", adding, "If Gaddafi falls, then there will be bigger catastrophes in the world. It's no use for anyone if we intervene there loudly, just to prove our own importance." On 21 March, Schwarzenberg appeared to backtrack after facing criticism for allegedly boosting Gaddafi saying, "At the moment, as long as the weapons are speaking, we can only hope and urge for this [conflict] to stop." The Czech Republic supports the EU's call for an "immediate end" to violence against civilians in Libya. On the same day, Schwarzenburg went further to say that the Czech Republic would join the operation if requested, suggesting that they could deploy their chemical unit if Gaddafi used chemical weapons; he also offered to take part in humanitarian aid. Schwarzenburg and Vondra still expressed some doubts about the operation, they went further to slam Russian and Chinese obstruction as "hypocritical". They further said that NATO should lead the operation and that it would be inappropriate once that was the case for member nations to adopt separate stances. President Václav Klaus
is against the no-fly zone over Libya, saying enforcing a no-fly zone effectively constitutes a war. The same day, former president Václav Havel released a statement criticizing Klaus' stance and saying that intervention was necessary as Gaddafi was an "insane dictator" and that by not intervening, the EU and NATO would be "risking lives". Havel further extrapolated Klaus' stance on Libya to the stances of those who "hesitated" with regard to Slobodan Milošević, and stated that those kind of views had allowed "had allowed many grave horrors to be committed". Klaus responded that he "opposed Havel's comments". The Czech Republic's Prime Minister, Petr Nečas, stated clearly on 18 March that the Czech Republic would not be involved in the implementation of the UN resolution, although he didn't rule out participation in humanitarian actions. A 30 March poll showed that Czechs were divided in whether they support the mission, with a near 50-50 split on support, but despite this, 70.1% opposed Czech involvement in the no-fly zone.
– On 19 March, the Danish Parliament voted unanimously to send fighter jets to enforce the no-fly zone, marking the only time so far in the nation's history that military commitment was supported by full parliamentary unity.
– Foreign Minister Urmas Paet
told Estonian Public Broadcasting on 18 March that his government does not plan to participate in international military operations against Libya, but it would join them if requested to do so by NATO or the EU
.
– Minister for Foreign Affairs Alexander Stubb
said his government has "considered" participating in coalition efforts in Libya, but ruled out sending the Finnish Air Force
's F/A-18 Hornet
s to enforce the no-fly zone and said he did not see a role for Finland in the coalition. President Tarja Halonen
explained, "We are not, in this respect, a country that really specialises in air forces." She also warned, "Any use of force casts long shadows", opining that the international intervention could stretch on for "longer than we now believe".
– Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle
was skeptical of the no-fly zone and on 15 March called the idea "potentially dangerous" although he recommended greater political pressure be put on the Libyan leader. Accordingly Germany, which was a non-permanent member of the UN security council, abstained from resolution 1973 on Libya. This decision was criticised from various political sides in Germany, including his CDU coalition partners, saying it was a "mistake of historical dimension".
– Foreign Minister János Martonyi
said that Hungary "is glad that this decree came to life, the UN made the right decision". He also noted that he wished such a decision would have been made sooner to save more civilian lives.
– Foreign Minister Ģirts Valdis Kristovskis
affirmed his government's support for the UN resolution, saying it was "unacceptable for the international community to remain in an observer's role" during the crisis. "The people of Libya ... should themselves decide their future, and therefore conditions should be put in place for them to do so freely", Kristovskis added. He also praised NATO's decision to take over international operations in the Libyan theater, saying it "raises hope that a sustainable solution will be achieved".
– On 24 March, Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker
said his government "generally welcomes" the resolution, to which he insisted on "strict adherence" on the part of coalition forces. Juncker added that he wanted NATO to take control of coalition military efforts in Libya as soon as possible.
– In a statement dated 21 March, the government in Skopje
said it "supports and joins" efforts to enforce the UN mandate in Libya and called for a "peaceful and sustainable solution" to the political crisis in the country.
– President George Abela
expressed strong support for the no-fly zone, telling The Australian
on 27 March that "it has eliminated Gaddafi's air force", though he fretted the intervention might not have been "timely enough".
– On 22 March, the Netherlands agreed to aid military involvement. The government sent six F-16 Fighting Falcon
, a naval ship, a refuelling jet and about 200 personnel to Libya. They would not attack ground targets, but would be helping maintain the arms embargo.
– On 19 March, the government authorized the Royal Norwegian Air Force
to head for Libya
and prepare for missions there. Norway approved six General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon fighters and necessary personnel.
– Prime Minister Donald Tusk
announced that Polish soldiers would not take military action in Libya, although he voiced support for the UN Resolution
and pledged to offer logistical support. Tusk stated in an interview that he was unenthusiastic about the operation.
– Russia abstained from voting on a UN Security Council resolution to create a no-fly zone over Libya rather than use its veto to block the resolution. Days later, the Foreign Ministry said that it noted "with regret this armed action, taken in conjunction with the hastily passed U.N. Security Council Resolution 1973". On 21 March, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin
described the resolution as "defective and flawed" stating that it "resembles medieval calls for crusades
", comments that were later called "unacceptable" by President Dmitry Medvedev
. On the same day Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov commented after a meeting with the Secretary-General of the Arab League
, Amr Moussa
, that Moscow supported the Arab League resolution which had called for a no-fly zone over Libya.
– The government issued a statement saying that Serbia is deeply concerned about the situation in Libya, especially the risks to the lives of civilians. The statement said that Serbia calls for the respect of UN Security Council Resolution 1973 and international humanitarian law in order to immediately stop civilian deaths and further demolition of the country and that Serbia fully endorses Libya's territorial integrity and wholeness. Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremić
called on all three sides to immediately put an end to all military operations for the sake of protecting civilian lives. The ruling party representative MP in the National Assembly stated that while Serbia has a clear position to advocate for the respect of human rights it has a reason to believe that bombing a country is not the happiest way to reach the realization of human rights.
– The government "welcomed" the adoption of the resolution, which neighboring Bosnia and Herzegovina voted to approve, by the United Nations Security Council.
– Foreign Minister Carl Bildt
announced that his government would consider military action in support of a no-fly zone if it is requested by NATO. On 29 March, the government approved the deployment of JAS 39 Gripen
multirole jet fighters to Libya to enforce the no-fly zone, though it included the stipulation that they will not be used to carry out airstrikes unless they are targeted by surface-to-air missile
s or anti-aircraft artillery.
– The government "recognized" the UN Security Council's decision to mandate action on 18 March. Defence Minister Ueli Maurer
said he didn't think the no-fly zone or airstrikes would be sufficient to stop Gaddafi. Maurer said he supported the resolution but wanted Switzerland to remain neutral in the conflict. Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey
said that the Swiss policy of neutrality
extended to the conflict, though she suggested that allowing coalition aircraft to use Swiss airspace for conducting operations over Libya was not a violation of that policy.
– In a statement on 21 March, President Viktor Yanukovych
acknowledged the resolution and said Ukraine would comply with its provisions, but expressed caution and reiterated Kiev
's opposition to any effort by a foreign power to occupy Libya. Ukraine, he added, would continue to focus on efforts to evacuate civilians and nationals of Ukraine and its allies from Libya. "It is fundamentally important for us that even despite the establishment of a no-fly zone over the territory of Libya, all the possibilities of providing humanitarian aid and evacuation of civilians were preserved", Yanukovych said.
– On 21 March, Parliament voted 557 to 13 in favour of the military involvement. A ComRes
/ITN survey found that only one in three UK citizens agree with the decision to take military action in Libya although the Londoners polled in the survey "agreed they would like to see Gaddafi removed, but not through bombing." A poll by YouGov
a few days later showed that more of the British public supported the no-fly zone than not.
vocally supported, Prime Minister Julia Gillard
voiced strong support for international military action in the skies above Libya, though Defence Minister Stephen Smith
said he does not expect Australia will send military assets to the theatre beyond possibly supplying humanitarian efforts with Royal Australian Air Force
transport planes like the C-17 Globemaster.
– Foreign Minister Murray McCully
praised the United Nations Security Council's vote to create of a no-fly zone over Libya, but added that he worried "it will be a case of too little too late". Prime Minister John Key
also lauded the vote and international efforts in Libya, noting that New Zealand is adopting sanctions against Gaddafi's regime, but said he doesn't think New Zealand has much to offer in military assets for the no-fly zone. Although Key said he would not commit military support, he said, "It's quite clear that Gaddafi has been undertaking violence against his people, it's abhorrent, we want to see that end, and we do want to see a smooth and peaceful transition to a new leader." Labour Party
leader Phil Goff
echoed the government's support for intervention and said a solution should be sought as so not to leave the conflict at an "impasse".
– On 27 March, Foreign Affairs Minister Peter Shanel Agovaka said his government supports the resolution. "Solomon Islands will always support any resolution that aims to protect human rights and in this situation Resolution 1973 is fully supported", said Agovaka.
- According to a report by SE Times, Kosovo Albanians, likening Gaddafi's actions against the opposition to those of Milosevic twelve years earlier, widely sympathized with the rebels and were avid supporters of the idea of a no-fly zone. Secondary reasons that were told to reporters included the autocracy in Libya under Gaddafi, as well as Gaddafi's support for Milosevic and opposition to Kosovo's independence. Likewise, the Kosovar government supported the air strikes, with Hashim Thaci saying that ""Kosovo understands the importance of such interventions from 1999, and supports the efforts of the Libyan people for freedom and democracy, in becoming an important country of the Arab world".
– The National Transitional Council
in Benghazi asked for international support and has been vocally appreciative of coalition efforts, though Chairman Mustafa Abdul Jalil
complained to Al Jazeera
during the Second Battle of Benghazi
about perceived delays in action by the combined air forces, saying, "The international community is late in intervening to save civilians from Gaddafi's forces." The militia took advantage of coalition airstrikes, retaking Ajdabiya
, Brega
, Uqayla, and Ra's Lanuf
on its push westward from Benghazi. A spokesman for the council said representatives of the interim government are consulted by military commanders of the coalition forces in an effort to coordinate airstrikes with militia movements and local intelligence.
– MOFA
spokesman James Chang said government ministries were monitoring the conflict but did not believe the oil supply to the ROC's main island of Taiwan
would be disrupted. The government also warned Gaddafi to comply with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973
and stand down his forces.
– Pope Benedict XVI called for an immediate ceasefire by all sides. "I appeal to international organisations and those with political and military responsibilities to immediately launch a dialogue to suspend the use of arms", the pope said in the Vatican
.
-linked Egypt
ian scholar Yusuf al-Qaradawi
expressed his support for the no-fly zone
put in place by the United Nations
over Libya, saying, "The operation in Libya is to protect the civilians from Gaddafi's tyranny." Qaradawi also slammed Arab League
leader and likely presidential candidate
Amr Moussa
for remarks criticizing the international intervention.
Former Mozambican
President Joaquim Chissano
expressed "uncertainty" toward the no-fly zone imposed by the UN Security Council. "The military measures should not damage the people more than the regime", Chissano said.
The leader of the Muslim general council in Tanzania
called international military intervention in support of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973
an attack on Islam and described it as "barbaric" and a "massacre". The council called for an immediate ceasefire.
A French MEP
and president of the National Front, Marine Le Pen
claimed that the transfer of the US command towards NATO increased the submissiveness of the French Armed Forces. Denouncing "the US supremacy" in the military intervention, she "refused the idea that France slavishly followed the USA in this new stalemate". One month after the launching of hostilities, she claimed that France sank into Sarkozy's vote-catching war in Libya. She noticed that "the United Nations' mandate had largely been overstepped" and that "the deaths of civilians increased". Denouncing the planned dispatch of British, French and Italian military advisers to Libya and "Sarkozy's lies" about the war, she lamented the decision of the French authorities to compromise further France in "a new Afghanistan".
Noam Chomsky
has criticized the intervention, saying that "[t]here was no effort to institute a no-fly zone. The triumvirate at once interpreted the resolution as authorizing direct participation on the side of the rebels. A ceasefire was imposed by force on Gaddafi's forces, but not on the rebels. On the contrary, they were given military support as they advanced to the West, soon securing the major sources of Libya's oil production, and poised to move on." He has questioned the motives of overthrowing Gaddafi, saying, "the vast territory of Libya is mostly unexplored, and oil specialists believe it may have rich untapped resources, which a more dependable government might open to Western exploitation."
2011 military intervention in Libya
On 19 March 2011, a multi-state coalition began a military intervention in Libya to implement United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973, which was taken in response to events during the 2011 Libyan civil war...
were the responses to the military intervention in Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
by NATO and allied forces to impose a no-fly zone
No-fly zone
A no-fly zone is a territory or an area over which aircraft are not permitted to fly. Such zones are usually set up in a military context, somewhat like a demilitarized zone in the sky, and usually prohibit military aircraft of a belligerent nation from operating in the region.-Iraq,...
. The intervention was authorized by United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973, on the situation in Libya, is a measure that was adopted on 17 March 2011. The Security Council resolution was proposed by France, Lebanon, and the United Kingdom....
, approved in New York on 17 March, in response to the civil war
2011 Libyan civil war
The 2011 Libyan civil war was an armed conflict in the North African state of Libya, fought between forces loyal to Colonel Muammar Gaddafi and those seeking to oust his government. The war was preceded by protests in Benghazi beginning on 15 February 2011, which led to clashes with security...
in the North African state, though some governments allege participants in the operation exceeded their mandate.
Overall response from governments was generally split between strong opposition and conditional support for the intervention.
Supranational
- African UnionAfrican UnionThe African Union is a union consisting of 54 African states. The only all-African state not in the AU is Morocco. Established on 9 July 2002, the AU was formed as a successor to the Organisation of African Unity...
– A committee of officials representing five member states — MaliMaliMali , officially the Republic of Mali , is a landlocked country in Western Africa. Mali borders Algeria on the north, Niger on the east, Burkina Faso and the Côte d'Ivoire on the south, Guinea on the south-west, and Senegal and Mauritania on the west. Its size is just over 1,240,000 km² with...
, MauritaniaMauritaniaMauritania is a country in the Maghreb and West Africa. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean in the west, by Western Sahara in the north, by Algeria in the northeast, by Mali in the east and southeast, and by Senegal in the southwest...
, the Republic of the CongoRepublic of the CongoThe Republic of the Congo , sometimes known locally as Congo-Brazzaville, is a state in Central Africa. It is bordered by Gabon, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo , the Angolan exclave province of Cabinda, and the Gulf of Guinea.The region was dominated by...
, South AfricaSouth AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, and UgandaUgandaUganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
— was denied entry to Libya after the UN Security Council voted to establish a no-fly zone over the country. The ad hoc panel demanded an immediate end to the attacks on Libya.
– The Secretary General of the Arab League
Arab League
The Arab League , officially called the League of Arab States , is a regional organisation of Arab states in North and Northeast Africa, and Southwest Asia . It was formed in Cairo on 22 March 1945 with six members: Egypt, Iraq, Transjordan , Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Syria. Yemen joined as a...
, Amr Moussa
Amr Moussa
Amr Mohammed Moussa is an Egyptian politician and diplomat who was the Secretary-General of the Arab League, a 22-member forum representing Arab states, from 1 June 2001 until 1 June 2011. He is a candidate in the 2011 Egyptian presidential election....
, on 20 March said that the Arab League had wanted "the protection of civilians and not the shelling of more civilians", but on 21 March reiterated his support for the operation, something that is in accordance with what he said on 20 March, concerning the civilian casualties caused by the foreign intervention.
– The secretary-general of the GCC strongly endorsed the use of international force in Libya on 21 March, lauding coalition forces for "protecting the people from bloodshed". GCC member state Qatar
Qatar
Qatar , also known as the State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its...
is joining coalition efforts to enforce the no-fly zone.
- Intergovernmental Authority on Development
Intergovernmental Authority on DevelopmentThe Intergovernmental Authority on Development is an eight-country regional development organization in East Africa. Its headquarters are located in Djibouti City....
- The Intergovernmental Authority on DevelopmentIntergovernmental Authority on DevelopmentThe Intergovernmental Authority on Development is an eight-country regional development organization in East Africa. Its headquarters are located in Djibouti City....
(IGAD) described the military intervention in Libya as an open invitation to terrorists. IGAD said, "Our fear is that what is happening now in Libya may motivate terrorist groups in Somalia, Afghanistan and Iraq to regroup on African soil.".
Arab World
– The Movement of Society for PeaceMovement of Society for Peace
The Movement for the Society of Peace is an Islamist party in Algeria, led until his 2003 death by Mahfoud Nahnah. Its current leader is Bouguerra Soltani. It is aligned with the international Muslim Brotherhood...
, a Muslim Brotherhood
Muslim Brotherhood
The Society of the Muslim Brothers is the world's oldest and one of the largest Islamist parties, and is the largest political opposition organization in many Arab states. It was founded in 1928 in Egypt by the Islamic scholar and schoolteacher Hassan al-Banna and by the late 1940s had an...
-linked pro-government party in Algiers
Algiers
' is the capital and largest city of Algeria. According to the 1998 census, the population of the city proper was 1,519,570 and that of the urban agglomeration was 2,135,630. In 2009, the population was about 3,500,000...
, called upon the coalition to halt military strikes against targets in Libya and urged the Arab League
Arab League
The Arab League , officially called the League of Arab States , is a regional organisation of Arab states in North and Northeast Africa, and Southwest Asia . It was formed in Cairo on 22 March 1945 with six members: Egypt, Iraq, Transjordan , Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Syria. Yemen joined as a...
to affirm a "crystal clear and frank position on the side of the Libyan people". At a press conference after meeting with President Abdulaziz Bouteflika, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov
Sergey Lavrov
Sergey Viktorovich Lavrov is the Foreign Minister of Russia. Prior to that, Lavrov was a Soviet diplomat and Russia's ambassador to the United Nations from 1994 to 2004. Lavrov speaks Russian, English, French and Sinhala....
said that Russia and Algeria both oppose the international intervention in Libya on principle. On 21 March, Algerian Foreign Minister Mourad Medelci
Mourad Medelci
Mourad Medelci is an Algerian politician and the current Minister of Foreign Affairs of Algeria.-Early life:Medelci studied Economics at the University of Algiers receiving his Bachelor's degree in 1966 and Masters degree in 1968...
said his government believes "this intervention to be disproportionate in relation to the objective set out by the United Nations Security Council resolution" and demanded "an immediate cessation of hostilities and foreign intervention." The government has reportedly refused to allow coalition aircraft to pass through Algerian airspace during operations in Libya.
– After the UN Security Council voted to establish a Libyan no-fly zone, Egypt declined to join in enforcement, despite having the largest military in the Arab League
Arab League
The Arab League , officially called the League of Arab States , is a regional organisation of Arab states in North and Northeast Africa, and Southwest Asia . It was formed in Cairo on 22 March 1945 with six members: Egypt, Iraq, Transjordan , Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Syria. Yemen joined as a...
and voting with that body to endorse the no-fly zone's creation. Foreign Minister Nabil Elaraby
Nabil Elaraby
Nabil Elaraby is an Egyptian diplomat, currently the Secretary-General of the Arab League having been elected on 15 May 2011. Previously, he was Foreign Minister of Egypt in Essam Sharaf's government from March-June 2011.-Early life and education:Elaraby holds a J.S.D. and an LL.M...
said Egypt was choosing to stay out of the conflict due to the large number of Egyptian nationals in Libya. Presidential candidate Amr Moussa
Amr Moussa
Amr Mohammed Moussa is an Egyptian politician and diplomat who was the Secretary-General of the Arab League, a 22-member forum representing Arab states, from 1 June 2001 until 1 June 2011. He is a candidate in the 2011 Egyptian presidential election....
, the head of the Arab League, described airstrikes against Gaddafi's military in support of the UN mandate as "bombardment of civilians ... [that] led to the deaths and injuries of many Libyan civilians" and said he intended to call an emergency meeting of the Arab League, multiple members of which are now involved in enforcing the no-fly zone, to respond to the situation. Namibia
Namibia
Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. It gained independence from South Africa on 21 March...
n press reported in early April that Egyptian embassy officials in Windhoek
Windhoek
Windhoek is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Namibia. It is located in central Namibia in the Khomas Highland plateau area, at around above sea level. The 2001 census determined Windhoek's population was 233,529...
had indicated the Egyptian government's support for the resolution provided it led to the protection of civilians and the promotion of democracy.
– A spokesman for the Iraqi government told Reuters
Reuters
Reuters is a news agency headquartered in New York City. Until 2008 the Reuters news agency formed part of a British independent company, Reuters Group plc, which was also a provider of financial market data...
on 21 March that Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
backs the military intervention that followed "to protect the Libyan people". Powerful Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, however, criticized both the international action and the Gaddafi regime, saying the government in Tripoli
Tripoli
Tripoli is the capital and largest city in Libya. It is also known as Western Tripoli , to distinguish it from Tripoli, Lebanon. It is affectionately called The Mermaid of the Mediterranean , describing its turquoise waters and its whitewashed buildings. Tripoli is a Greek name that means "Three...
should relinquish power but warning that airstrikes could cause civilian casualties.
– The government was party to an international summit on 19 March in Paris to weigh military intervention in Libya after the UN Security Council voted to create a no-fly zone over the country, but a government spokesman said Jordan's armed forces would not be involved in enforcing the UN mandate. On 4 April, two Royal Jordanian Air Force
Royal Jordanian Air Force
The Royal Jordanian Air Force is the air force branch of the Jordanian Armed Forces.-Early days:...
fighter jets arrived at a military airbase in the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
to support the coalition. Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh said they would provide "logistical support" and help escort Jordanian transports making use of the humanitarian corridor to deliver aid and supplies. Judeh also said his government was prepared to "pursue efforts at all levels" to help protect civilians and end the crisis.
– The government approved of the creation of the no-fly zone. UK Prime Minister David Cameron
David Cameron
David William Donald Cameron is the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service and Leader of the Conservative Party. Cameron represents Witney as its Member of Parliament ....
announced Kuwait would be making a "logistical contribution" to international military efforts in Libya.
– Lebanon introduced and voted for United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973, on the situation in Libya, is a measure that was adopted on 17 March 2011. The Security Council resolution was proposed by France, Lebanon, and the United Kingdom....
, claiming to act on behalf of the Arab League
Arab League
The Arab League , officially called the League of Arab States , is a regional organisation of Arab states in North and Northeast Africa, and Southwest Asia . It was formed in Cairo on 22 March 1945 with six members: Egypt, Iraq, Transjordan , Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Syria. Yemen joined as a...
.
– Colonel Muammar Gaddafi
Muammar Gaddafi
Muammar Muhammad Abu Minyar Gaddafi or "September 1942" 20 October 2011), commonly known as Muammar Gaddafi or Colonel Gaddafi, was the official ruler of the Libyan Arab Republic from 1969 to 1977 and then the "Brother Leader" of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya from 1977 to 2011.He seized power in a...
, defacto leader of the Libyan regime, called the air strikes "terrorism" and said he and his supporters would fight "crusaders" and "imperialists" to the death. The head of the General People's Congress, Mohamed Abu Al-Quasim al-Zwai, called the attacks "barbaric". State media has consistently reported that airstrikes have targeted "military and civilian" areas, and the government alleged around 100 civilian deaths have been caused by international forces. The government accused coalition powers of "trying to push the country to the brink of a civil war" and alleged the air strikes were intended to help the rebels, not protect civilians.
– President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz
Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz
General Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz is a Mauritanian politician, currently serving as President of Mauritania...
condemned international intervention in Libya after France, the United States, and the United Kingdom spearheaded airstrikes against Gaddafi's forces in support of a UN mandate.
– The government was party to international talks in Paris on 19 March to discuss how to implement the UN mandate in Libya after the UN Security Council voted for a no-fly zone. After meeting with an envoy from Gaddafi's government, Foreign Minister Taieb Fassi Fihri said on 18 April, "Morocco considers that ... the solution can not be military. It can only be political, forward-looking and allowing the Libyan people to democratically determine their future." Fihri also said that his government participated in recent conferences with members of the international coalition and allies, including the Paris summit, to help honor its "commitment to full respect for Libya's territorial integrity and national unity".
– The government confirmed it was dispatching Qatar Emiri Air Force fighter jets to Libya on 20 March. "Qatar will take part in the military operation out of belief in the need for Arab states to contribute, for the situation has become unbearable in Libya", Emir Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani said.
– The government is reportedly allowing coalition airplanes to traverse Sudanese airspace during operations in Libya.
– The post-revolution government of Tunisia declined to join international military operations in Libya, with a spokesman saying it was "out of the question".
– The United Arab Emirates Air Force
United Arab Emirates Air Force
The United Arab Emirates Air Force is the air force of the United Arab Emirates . Its predecessor was established in 1968, when the Emirates were still under British rule. Since then, it has undergone a continual reorganization and expansion in terms of both capability and numbers of aircraft...
was to be involved in enforcing the no-fly zone, but the government opted to narrow its mission to providing humanitarian aid before reversing itself and sending 12 fighter jets to the Mediterranean to support international efforts. On 20 April, Al Arabiya
Al Arabiya
Al Arabiya is a Pan-Arabist Saudi-owned Arabic-language television news channel. Launched on March 3, 2003, the channel is based in Dubai Media City, United Arab Emirates, and is majority-owned by the Saudi broadcaster Middle East Broadcasting Center ....
reported that the government called for more airstrikes, insisting that Gaddafi must leave Libya and would not do so peacefully.
Middle East
– An official in the office of President Ilham AliyevIlham Aliyev
Ilham Heydar oglu Aliyev is the President of Azerbaijan since 2003. He also functions as the Chairman of the New Azerbaijan Party and the head of the National Olympic Committee...
recommended that the government formally approve of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973, on the situation in Libya, is a measure that was adopted on 17 March 2011. The Security Council resolution was proposed by France, Lebanon, and the United Kingdom....
, saying, "Ensuring the security of civilians in Libya is, of course, an important issue", though he complained that the UN was acting swiftly to stop Gaddafi's alleged crimes but was not making the same effort to enforce resolutions on Nagorno-Karabakh
Nagorno-Karabakh
Nagorno-Karabakh is a landlocked region in the South Caucasus, lying between Lower Karabakh and Zangezur and covering the southeastern range of the Lesser Caucasus mountains...
that the Azerbaijani government contends its neighbor Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
has violated.
– The United Kingdom is making use of its military bases in Cyprus to support coalition forces enforcing the naval blockade and no-fly zone in the Libyan theater. President Dimitris Christofias
Dimitris Christofias
Dimitris Christofias also Demetris is a left-wing Greek Cypriot politician and the current and sixth President of the Republic of Cyprus. Christofias was the General Secretary of AKEL and is Cyprus's first, and the European Union's first and so far only, communist head of state. He won the 2008...
said his government does not support the intervention and is unhappy over the UK making use of the bases, though he acknowledged the UK has the legal right to do so, as they lie within its overseas territory of Akrotiri and Dhekelia
Akrotiri and Dhekelia
The Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia are two British-administered areas comprising a British Overseas Territory on the island of Cyprus administered as Sovereign Base Areas of the United Kingdom...
on the island. Christofias has previously expressed his desire to see the British military presence removed from Cyprus.
– On 21 March, Supreme Leader
Supreme Leader of Iran
The Supreme Leader of Iran is the highest ranking political and religious authority in the Islamic Republic of Iran. The post was established by the constitution in accordance with the concept of Guardianship of the Islamic Jurists...
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
Ali Khamenei
Ayatollah Seyed Ali Hoseyni Khāmene’i is the Supreme Leader of Iran and the figurative head of the Muslim conservative establishment in Iran and Twelver Shi'a marja...
accused the West of having "come after Libyan oil". He also stressed that "Iran utterly condemns the behaviour of the Libyan government against its people, the killings and pressure on people, and the bombing of its cities... but it (also) condemns the military action in Libya". Khamenei stated that he preferred arming the rebels rather than bombing the country Iran's Ambassador to the UN Mohammad Khazaei said on 17 March 2011: "Iran has showed that it is not interested in meddling in any country's internal affairs, nor wants military presence, and thus condemns any such actions."
– The government endorsed the intervention. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said, "Western intervention in Libya will have a positive ripple effect in Iran and elsewhere in the region". Netanyahu also said "I would expect that the world put similar pressure on Iran. Iran is at least equal to Libya, and I believe that its importance is even greater."
– After initially opposing international intervention in Libya, on 20 March, the Foreign Ministry released a statement after the UN Security Council voted to impose a no-fly zone over the North African state saying "Turkey will make the necessary and appropriate national contribution on grounds that the operation will protect the interest of the Libyan people ... and provide them salvation". Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu
Kemal Kiliçdaroglu
Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu is a Turkish social democrat politician. He is currently leader of the Republican People's Party and Leader of the Main Opposition in Turkey. He has been the Member of Parliament for İstanbul since 2002....
, who leads the opposition Republican People's Party
Republican People's Party (Turkey)
The Republican People's Party is a centre-left Kemalist political party in Turkey. It is the oldest political party of Turkey and is currently Main Opposition in the Grand National Assembly. The Republican People's Party describes itself as "a modern social-democratic party, which is faithful to...
, endorsed international military action in Libya, saying, "If the United Nations has passed such a resolution, then this [operation] has gained international legitimacy", and praising Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has been Prime Minister of Turkey since 2003 and is chairman of the ruling Justice and Development Party , which holds a majority of the seats in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. Erdoğan served as Mayor of Istanbul from 1994 to 1998. He graduated in 1981 from Marmara...
's shift toward supporting the no-fly zone and other measures. On 21 March, Turkey's representative to NATO blocked the alliance, many members of which have already deployed forces to the Mediterranean for action in Libya, from formally joining enforcement of the Libyan no-fly zone, though Turkey voted along with the rest of NATO members for enforcement of a less controversial arms embargo. A deal was ultimately reached through intensive negotiations between Ankara
Ankara
Ankara is the capital of Turkey and the country's second largest city after Istanbul. The city has a mean elevation of , and as of 2010 the metropolitan area in the entire Ankara Province had a population of 4.4 million....
, London, Paris, and Washington for NATO to assume responsibility for the no-fly zone as well.
Sub-Saharan Africa
- Angolan Foreign Affairs Minister, Georges Chikoti, said on 29 March 2011 in Luanda, that the Angolan Government defends dialogue for the resolution of the Libyan deadlock instead of a military intervention. Speaking to the press about the current international matters, the minister said that any military intervention may contribute to the worsening of the problem. According to him, this military intervention method may not be considered as a standard to solve problems in Africa. In addition, the official recalled that the situation started with demonstrations, which were repressed violently by Libyan authorities, a situation that must be slammed by the international community. He said that with the emergence of armed rebels the country dived in a kind of civil war.– President Ian Khama
Ian Khama
Lieutenant General Seretse Khama Ian Khama is a Botswana politician who has been the President of Botswana since 2008; he is also the Paramount Chief of the Bamangwato tribe...
was strongly supportive of the resolution, saying all countries should support the "well-intended" international intervention. "The least we can hope for from this intervention is the intended protection from brutality, leading to death in many cases, of Libyan citizens opposed to Muammar Gaddafi and his dictatorship", said Khama.
– After meeting with President Paul Biya
Paul Biya
Paul Biya is a Cameroonian politician who has been the President of Cameroon since 6 November 1982. A native of Cameroon's south, Biya rose rapidly as a bureaucrat under President Ahmadou Ahidjo in the 1960s, serving as Secretary-General of the Presidency from 1968 to 1975 and then as Prime...
, the French ambassador to Cameroon said Biya concurs with the French position supporting the no-fly zone and the need for a ceasefire in Libya, the state-owned media outlet Cameroon Radio & Television
Cameroon Radio & Television
Cameroon Radio and Television ' is a major radio and television broadcasting company in Cameroon....
reported on 28 March.
– President Idriss Déby Itno, who came to power with Libyan help, criticized the Western military intervention, warning it could have "heavy consequences" and worrying about the precedent it set. Chad's ambassador to the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
reportedly told journalists, "This has to finish fast." In a statement, the government asked for coalition forces to ensure the protection of Chadian nationals in Libya, whom it said rebels had "singled out", "paraded on television as mercenaries", and "executed".
– Deposed ex-President Laurent Gbagbo
Laurent Gbagbo
Laurent Koudou Gbagbo served as the fourth President of Côte d'Ivoire from 2000 until his arrest in April 2011. A historian by profession, he is also an amateur chemist and physicist....
claimed that Gaddafi was the victim of a "neo-colonial" plan.
– President Yahya Jammeh
Yahya Jammeh
Alhaji Dr. Yahya Abdul-Aziz Jemus Junkung Jammeh is the President of The Gambia...
urged Gaddafi to step down and criticised the African Union
African Union
The African Union is a union consisting of 54 African states. The only all-African state not in the AU is Morocco. Established on 9 July 2002, the AU was formed as a successor to the Organisation of African Unity...
for its "unacceptable silence." The Gambian government arranged for the evacuation of over 300 citizens of ECOWAS
Economic Community of West African States
The Economic Community of West African States is a regional group of fifteen West African countries. Founded on 28 May 1975, with the signing of the Treaty of Lagos, its mission is to promote economic integration across the region....
countries on 19 March, state-owned media reported. The government of Gambia recognized the rebel National Transitional Council
National Transitional Council
The National Transitional Council of Libya , sometimes known as the Transitional National Council, the Interim National Council, or the Libyan National Council,...
on 22 April.
– Gabon voted for the UN resolution imposing a Libyan no-fly zone on 17 March in its capacity as a nonpermanent member of the United Nations Security Council
United Nations Security Council
The United Nations Security Council is one of the principal organs of the United Nations and is charged with the maintenance of international peace and security. Its powers, outlined in the United Nations Charter, include the establishment of peacekeeping operations, the establishment of...
.
– Foreign Minister Alhaji Mohammed Mumuni said that the government supported the UN in its efforts to protect civilians, saying, "Right from the onset when the crisis broke, Ghana's position was that we want to stand by the people of Libya, and we want to defend their right to live in dignity and their right to be free from any violence." However, Mumuni said, the government does not appreciate the usage of the resolution to justify airstrikes in Libya.
– The government refused to permit Guinean citizens to rally against the intervention and in support of Gaddafi on 25 March.
– Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka
Kalonzo Musyoka
Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka is a Kenyan politician, currently serving as Vice President of Kenya. Musyoka served in the government under President Daniel arap Moi and was Minister for Foreign Affairs from 1993 until 1998; subsequently, under President Mwai Kibaki, he was Minister of Foreign Affairs...
expressed opposition to international intervention in Libya and said it was "the time for Africa" to negotiate a solution to the crisis in the AU member state. It was unclear whether he was voicing his personal views or representing the position of the Kenyan "unity government" in his comments.
– President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf
Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is the 24th and current President of Liberia. She served as Minister of Finance under President William Tolbert from 1979 until the 1980 coup d'état, after which she left Liberia and held senior positions at various financial institutions. She placed a very distant second in...
called for an end to the airstrikes, saying her position is that "violence does not help the process whichever way it comes" and calling the situation "a tragedy on all sides as lives and properties are being destroyed", according to her press secretary.
– President Hifikepunye Pohamba
Hifikepunye Pohamba
Hifikepunye Lucas Pohamba is the second and current President of Namibia. He won the 2004 and 2009 presidential elections overwhelmingly as the candidate of the South West Africa People's Organisation ruling party, taking office in March 2005. He has also been the President of SWAPO since...
, whose party received support from Muammar Gaddafi during the Namibian War of Independence
Namibian War of Independence
See also South African Border War.The Namibian War of Independence, also known as the South African Border War, which lasted from 1966 to 1988, was a guerrilla war, which the nationalist South-West Africa People's Organization and others, fought against the apartheid government in South...
, condemned the NATO intervention and described the intervention as "interference in internal affairs of Africa." In his official speech he said, "As we celebrate our 21st independence anniversary, our Libyan brothers and sisters are attacked by non-African forces. Namibia reiterates the decisions of the AU Peace Council and Namibia rejects in the strongest terms any interference in internal affairs of Africa." Several MPs and high-ranking ministers assented with Pohamba's position, with the deputy speaker of Parliament
Parliament of Namibia
Parliament is the law-making body of Namibia legislature. It consists of two chambers:#The National Assembly initiates and approves laws...
referring to the West
Western world
The Western world, also known as the West and the Occident , is a term referring to the countries of Western Europe , the countries of the Americas, as well all countries of Northern and Central Europe, Australia and New Zealand...
as an "enemy ... planning day and night how to keep Africa in perpetual tutelage" and even attacking the International Criminal Court
International Criminal Court
The International Criminal Court is a permanent tribunal to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression .It came into being on 1 July 2002—the date its founding treaty, the Rome Statute of the...
, from which she suggested Namibia should withdraw.
– The government prohibited a planned pro-Gaddafi, anti-intervention rally in late March.
– Nigeria voted for the UN resolution to establish a Libyan no-fly zone in its capacity as a nonpermanent member of the UN Security Council on 17 March. The Nigerian ambassador to Namibia
Namibia
Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. It gained independence from South Africa on 21 March...
said in early April that his government supported the resolution because it took a neutral stance and helped to advance peace while allowing humanitarian aid to continue flowing into Libya.
– On 22 March, President Paul Kagame
Paul Kagame
Paul Kagame is the sixth and current President of the Republic of Rwanda. He rose to prominence as the leader of the Rwandan Patriotic Front , whose victory over the incumbent government in July 1994 effectively ended the Rwandan genocide...
told the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
Africa Have Your Say programme: "It was the right thing to do. I fully support that. The fact that mistakes were made elsewhere in other instances doesn't make it right not to act in this particular case."
– The government did not allow demonstrators protesting the airstrikes and expressing support for Gaddafi to march in Dakar
Dakar
Dakar is the capital city and largest city of Senegal. It is located on the Cap-Vert Peninsula on the Atlantic coast and is the westernmost city on the African mainland...
, though it made no effort to prevent them from rallying in the Islamic Institute of Dakar on 30 March.
– South Africa voted for the UN resolution to establish a Libyan no-fly zone in its capacity as a nonpermanent member of the UN Security Council on 17 March. On 21 March, President Jacob Zuma
Jacob Zuma
Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma is the President of South Africa, elected by parliament following his party's victory in the 2009 general election....
called "for an immediate ceasefire in Libya" and demanded that "operations aimed at enforcing the no-fly zone and protecting civilians should be limited to just that." He also demanded that "the UN Security Council Resolution should be implemented in letter and spirit by all members of the UN Security Council." Some unnamed government officials have voiced concern that three of the five African Union
African Union
The African Union is a union consisting of 54 African states. The only all-African state not in the AU is Morocco. Established on 9 July 2002, the AU was formed as a successor to the Organisation of African Unity...
states on the five-nation ad hoc panel, of which South Africa is a member, intended to mediate the crisis are "financially reliant" upon Gaddafi and his regime. They reportedly questioned whether Pretoria
Pretoria
Pretoria is a city located in the northern part of Gauteng Province, South Africa. It is one of the country's three capital cities, serving as the executive and de facto national capital; the others are Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Bloemfontein, the judicial capital.Pretoria is...
should be party to the five-nation panel.
– President Yoweri Museveni
Yoweri Museveni
Yoweri Kaguta Museveni is a Ugandan politician and statesman. He has been President of Uganda since 26 January 1986.Museveni was involved in the war that deposed Idi Amin Dada, ending his rule in 1979, and in the rebellion that subsequently led to the demise of the Milton Obote regime in 1985...
on 21 March accused Western nations of double standards, a thirst for more oil and declared, that he is "totally allergic to foreign, political and military involvement in sovereign countries, especially the African countries." He called upon the Libyan opposition groups, if they are patriots, to fight their war by themselves.
– On 25 March, President Rupiah Banda
Rupiah Banda
Rupiah Bwezani Banda is a Zambian politician who was President of Zambia from 2008 to 2011.During the Presidency of Kenneth Kaunda, Banda held important diplomatic posts and was active in politics as a member of the United National Independence Party...
said he backed UN Security Council Resolution 1973. "Zambia is a member of the African Union which supports the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council, and I am a member of the AU. I believe in it and I support it", said Banda.
– On 21 March, President Robert Mugabe
Robert Mugabe
Robert Gabriel Mugabe is the President of Zimbabwe. As one of the leaders of the liberation movement against white-minority rule, he was elected into power in 1980...
sharply condemned international military action in Libya, claiming coalition nations are "vampires" trying to get their hands on the country's oil. The Movement for Democratic Change
Movement for Democratic Change – Tsvangirai
The Movement for Democratic Change Zimbabwe is a political party and the largest party in the House of Assembly of Zimbabwe. It is the main formation formed from the split of the original Movement for Democratic Change in 2005.-Foundation:...
, led by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai
Morgan Tsvangirai
Morgan Richard Tsvangirai is the Prime Minister of Zimbabwe. He is the President of the Movement for Democratic Change - Tsvangirai and a key figure in the opposition to President Robert Mugabe. Tsvangirai was sworn in as the Prime Minister of Zimbabwe on 11 February 2009...
, took a milder tone, calling for a ceasefire.
Americas
– The government opposed the NATO offensive and said that "all possible diplomatic resources had not been exhausted". President Cristina Kirchner has denounced coalition raids in Libya, saying, "When you consider that these so-called civilised countries are trying to solve problems by dropping bombs, it makes me proud to be South American."– President Evo Morales
Evo Morales
Juan Evo Morales Ayma , popularly known as Evo , is a Bolivian politician and activist, currently serving as the 80th President of Bolivia, a position that he has held since 2006. He is also the leader of both the Movement for Socialism party and the cocalero trade union...
, the 2006 recipient of the Al-Gaddafi International Prize for Human Rights
Al-Gaddafi International Prize for Human Rights
The Al-Gaddafi International Prize for Human Rights was an annual prize founded by Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi in 1988.Gaddafi made an initial grant of ten million US$ to the Swiss-based foundation North-South which later administered the prize...
, demanded that U.S. President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
be stripped of his Nobel Peace Prize
Nobel Peace Prize
The Nobel Peace Prize is one of the five Nobel Prizes bequeathed by the Swedish industrialist and inventor Alfred Nobel.-Background:According to Nobel's will, the Peace Prize shall be awarded to the person who...
for authorizing the attack against Libya.
– Brazil abstained from voting on United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973, on the situation in Libya, is a measure that was adopted on 17 March 2011. The Security Council resolution was proposed by France, Lebanon, and the United Kingdom....
and opposed the military intervention in Libya.
– Canada has strongly supported both NATO and the UN with respect to military intervention in Libya under Operation Mobile
Operation Mobile
Operation Mobile was the name given to Canadian Forces activities in the 2011 military intervention in Libya. The United States' counterpart to this was Operation Odyssey Dawn, the French counterpart was Opération Harmattan and the British counterpart was Operation Ellamy...
. Canada has committed six CF-188 fighter jets, two CP-140 Aurora maritime patrol aircraft, and two CC-130J Super Hercules tactical transports to the operation, as well as 435 military personnel. HMCS Charlottetown has also been dispatched to the area and Lt.-Gen. Charles Bouchard of Canada will take command of the NATO mission in Libya. JTF2 special operations
Special operations
Special operations are military operations that are considered "special" .Special operations are typically performed independently or in conjunction with conventional military operations. The primary goal is to achieve a political or military objective where a conventional force requirement does...
teams are also reportedly working with British SAS
Special Air Service
Special Air Service or SAS is a corps of the British Army constituted on 31 May 1950. They are part of the United Kingdom Special Forces and have served as a model for the special forces of many other countries all over the world...
and SBS
Special Boat Service
The Special Boat Service is the special forces unit of the British Royal Navy. Together with the Special Air Service, Special Reconnaissance Regiment and the Special Forces Support Group they form the United Kingdom Special Forces and come under joint control of the same Director Special...
teams.
– Colombia, a nonpermanent member of the UN Security Council, voted to approve United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973.
– In a written statement, the government backed the intervention. The statement read in part, "Costa Rica believes that governments have the responsibility of protecting civilians in case of conflicts. ... Attacks to human rights should never remain in impunity."
– The government condemned the NATO military intervention in Libya. A statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Cuba said, "Conflicts should be resolved through dialogue and negotiation, and not by the use of military force".
– President Rafael Correa
Rafael Correa
Rafael Vicente Correa Delgado born is the President of the Republic of Ecuador and was the president pro tempore of the Union of South American Nations. An economist educated in Ecuador, Belgium and the United States, he was elected President in late 2006 and took office in January 2007...
described the military intervention "unacceptable". A statement issued by the Ecuador's Foreign Ministry said the government "warned that the declaration of a no-fly zone by the Security Council of the United Nations on Libya could lead to a broader intervention."
– A government spokesman indicated support for the resolution, but the government has not yet made a formal statement.
– A statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 20 March regarding the conflict in Libya said, "The terms of the UN Security Council resolution must be fulfilled."
– The government condemned the intervention. Hundreds rallied in Managua
Managua
Managua is the capital city of Nicaragua as well as the department and municipality by the same name. It is the largest city in Nicaragua in terms of population and geographic size. Located on the southwestern shore of Lake Xolotlán or Lake Managua, the city was declared the national capital in...
against the international military efforts in several government-sanctioned demonstrations in the days following the passage of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973. Miguel D'Escoto
Miguel d'Escoto
Miguel d’Escoto Brockmann, born in Los Angeles on February 5, 1933, is a Nicaraguan diplomat, politician and former Catholic priest of the Maryknoll congregation of priests. He was recently nominated as Libyan Representative to the UN, a request which is currently pending...
, an international relations adviser to President Daniel Ortega
Daniel Ortega
José Daniel Ortega Saavedra is a Nicaraguan politician and revolutionary, currently serving as the 83rd President of Nicaragua, a position that he has held since 2007. He previously served as the 79th President, between 1985 and 1990, and for much of his life, has been a leader in the Sandinista...
, strongly criticized the UN for passing the resolution, called it "a weapon of death at the hands of the empire". D'Escoto called the joint operation "a totally unjust war" and said it violated international law and the principle of self-determination.
– President Ricardo Martinelli
Ricardo Martinelli
Ricardo Alberto Martinelli Berrocal is a Panamanian politician and businessman who was elected the 49th President of Panama in 2009. He is a Panamanian of Italian descent from his father's side.- Early life :...
compared Gaddafi to former Panamanian strongman Manuel Noriega
Manuel Noriega
Manuel Antonio Noriega Moreno is a Panamanian politician and soldier. He was military dictator of Panama from 1983 to 1989.The 1989 invasion of Panama by the United States removed him from power; he was captured, detained as a prisoner of war, and flown to the United States. Noriega was tried on...
and likened the coalition airstrikes on Gaddafi's forces to Operation Just Cause, the United States military intervention that removed Noriega from power in 1989. "What the Libyan regime has done ... deserves the punishment and condemnation of the entire international community", Martinelli said on 20 March.
– Foreign Affairs Secretary Jorge Lara Castro
Jorge Lara Castro
Jorge Lara Castro has served as the Paraguayan Minister of Foreign Affairs since 2011.-References:...
said the NATO bombing of Libya "reflects UN weakness, particularly at the Security Council".
– President Alan García expressed support for the NATO intervention. "[The intervention] is demonstrating that international law is fundamental to the coexistence of peoples", García said.
– In June, 2011, Ohio Democratic Congressman Dennis Kucinich
Dennis Kucinich
Dennis John Kucinich is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1997. He was furthermore a candidate for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States in the 2004 and 2008 presidential elections....
in a bipartisan Congressional effort filed a lawsuit against the Obama Administration for "violating the Constitution" and for taking the United States into war in Libya which was undeclared by Congress and ignoring the War Powers Act. The lawsuit also called for the immediate cease of appropriating all U.S. military funds in the Libyan war.
– President José Mujica
José Mujica
José Alberto "Pepe" Mujica Cordano is a Uruguayan politician and former guerrilla fighter, a member of the Broad Front and current President of Uruguay....
opposed the Libya bombings by the NATO coalition, calling them an "inexplicable contradiction".
– President Hugo Chávez
Hugo Chávez
Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías is the 56th and current President of Venezuela, having held that position since 1999. He was formerly the leader of the Fifth Republic Movement political party from its foundation in 1997 until 2007, when he became the leader of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela...
, the 2004 winner of the Al-Gaddafi International Prize for Human Rights
Al-Gaddafi International Prize for Human Rights
The Al-Gaddafi International Prize for Human Rights was an annual prize founded by Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi in 1988.Gaddafi made an initial grant of ten million US$ to the Swiss-based foundation North-South which later administered the prize...
, condemned the attacks, calling it an attempt by the West and the U.S. to control the oil in Libya. Chavez said about the NATO intervention, "They are throwing bombs, and those bombs fell down on any place such as a hospital or a house. That is something imperialistic, the indiscriminate bombings." After the death of Muammar Gaddafi
Death of Muammar Gaddafi
Muammar Gaddafi, the deposed leader of Libya, died on 20 October 2011 during the 2011 Libyan civil war. Gaddafi was captured alive after his convoy was attacked by NATO warplanes as Sirte fell on 20 October 2011. He was then beaten and killed by NTC forces...
, Chávez appeared to blame the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, saying in reference to it, "Most regrettably, in their intent to rule over the world, the [Yankee] empire and its allies are setting fire to it."
Asia
– Out of concern for Bangladeshis remaining in Libya, a statement from the government said asked for coalition forces in the Libyan theatre to interpret their UN mandate conservatively. The statement implored international forces to enact strikes "only when absolutely essential and solely for neutralising military targets". DhakaDhaka
Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city...
also called for an internal solution to the emerging factionalism in Libya.
– On 17 March, India abstained from voting on the United Nations Security Council resolution to establish a Libyan no-fly zone in its capacity as a nonpermanent member. The Ministry of External Affairs
Ministry of External Affairs (India)
The Ministry of External Affairs is the foreign ministry of India. It is the Indian government agency responsible for the foreign relations of India. The Minister of External Affairs holds cabinet rank as a member of the Council of Ministers. The current minister is S M Krishna...
said, "India views with grave concern the continuing violence, strife and deteriorating humanitarian situation in Libya. It regrets the air strikes that are taking place. The measures adopted should mitigate — and not exacerbate — an already difficult situation for the people of the country". India called upon all parties to abjure use of or the threat of use of force and to resolve their differences through peaceful means and dialogue.
– Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa
Marty Natalegawa
Raden Mohammad Marty Muliana Natalegawa, more commonly known as Marty Natalegawa, is an Indonesian diplomat and the Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Second United Indonesia Cabinet...
called for a ceasefire and an end to airstrikes on 28 March and said his government condemned violence on all sides. On 5 April, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono AC , is an Indonesian politician and retired Army general officer who has been President of Indonesia since 2004....
said that after a ceasefire was agreed, Indonesia would gladly contribute to a UN peacekeeping effort in Libya.
– On 24 March, the Foreign Ministry expressed concern over international operations in Libya "which have caused the loss of lives and property of Libyan people and affected peace and stability in the region". It called for the end of military action and for all sides to seek a diplomatic end to the crisis. Also in August state owned Lao Airlines
Lao Airlines
Lao Airlines is an airline based in Vientiane, Laos. It is the national airline of Laos, operating domestic services to ten destinations and international services to Cambodia, China, Thailand, Vietnam and Singapore. Its main base is Wattay International Airport, Vientiane.- History :The airline...
bought 2 Airbus A320
Airbus A320
The Airbus A320 family is a family of short- to medium-range, narrow-body, commercial passenger jet airliners manufactured by Airbus Industrie.Airbus was originally a consortium of European aerospace companies, and is now fully owned by EADS. Airbus's name has been Airbus SAS since 2001...
ordered by Afriqiyah Airways
Afriqiyah Airways
Afriqiyah Airways is an airline based in Tripoli, Libya. It operated domestic services between Tripoli and Benghazi and international scheduled services to over 25 countries in Europe, Africa, Asia and the Middle East...
in which hit the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1970
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1970
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1970 was a measure adopted unanimously by the UN Security Council on 26 February 2011. It condemned the use of lethal force by the regime of Muammar Gaddafi against protesters participating in the 2011 Libyan civil war, and imposed a series of...
.
– The Foreign Ministry issued a statement on 19 March in which it "took note" of the resolution and expressed its hopes for a cessation of violence. In a statement published 26 March, the minority Socialist Party of Malaysia said it "strongly denounces the imperialistic military intervention in Libya" and accused "Western imperialist powers" of trying to control Libyan oil and halt the momentum of the Arab Spring
Arab Spring
The Arab Spring , otherwise known as the Arab Awakening, is a revolutionary wave of demonstrations and protests occurring in the Arab world that began on Saturday, 18 December 2010...
.
– The government denounced the United States for the military intervention in Libya. In an interview with the Korean Central News Agency
Korean Central News Agency
The Korean Central News Agency is the state news agency of North Korea and has existed since December 5, 1946. KCNA is headquartered in the capital city of Pyongyang...
(KCNA), a Foreign Ministry spokesperson described the military intervention as "infringement on national sovereignty" and "inhumane crime against the people of Libya".
– The Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement on 22 March, saying, "Peaceful political solution needs to be evolved by the Libyan people themselves in the spirit of mutual accommodation and national reconciliation." The statement also called Gaddafi's claims of civilian deaths resulting from coalition airstrikes "extremely distressing". On 28 March, Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir
Salman Bashir
Salman Bashir is a Pakistani diplomat and the current Foreign Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs since 26 April, 2008. Bashir did his masters in History and LLB before joining the Foreign Service of Pakistan in February 1976...
criticized the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
over the passage of the resolution and singled out the Australian government specifically for supporting it, saying, "It's one thing to pontificate from afar and quite another to actually understand a society you're trying to change. Pakistan will react very strongly against any attempt to intervene in the internal events of a sovereign nation." Bashir insisted that "the UN must respect the sovereignty of states and abide by the principle of non-interference and non-intervention" and called the no-fly zone "a mistake".
– On 17 March, the People's Republic of China abstained from voting on, rather than use its veto to block, the United Nations Security Council
United Nations Security Council
The United Nations Security Council is one of the principal organs of the United Nations and is charged with the maintenance of international peace and security. Its powers, outlined in the United Nations Charter, include the establishment of peacekeeping operations, the establishment of...
resolution to establish a Libyan no-fly zone. The Foreign Ministry said that it has "serious reservations" about a UN decision calling for a no-fly zone over Libya and regretted the military strike against Libya. Along with Russia, the PRC said the resolution's backers failed to explain adequately how the no-fly zone would work and what the rules of engagement would be.
– The Department of Foreign Affairs welcomed the resolution and said military operations were unlikely to affect Filipinos who have remained in Libya during the conflict. "This UN action is a humanitarian measure which is meant to safeguard the civilian population in Benghazi and other contested areas of said country", said a government spokesman on 19 March.
– The Ministry of Foreign Affairs supported the resolution and endorsed its stated intent to protect civilians. The statement expressed hopes for a quick end to the conflict as so to avoid more loss of life on both sides.
– Foreign Affairs Minister G. L. Peiris
G. L. Peiris
Gamini Lakshman Peiris is a Sri Lankan politician and academic...
said, "The government does not approve air strikes on Libya since they cause suffering to the people of that country."
– Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva
Abhisit Vejjajiva
Abhisit Vejjajiva , , ; born Mark Abhisit Vejjajiva; 3 August 1964 in Newcastle upon Tyne) is a Thai politician who was the 27th Prime Minister of Thailand from 2008 to 2011 and is the current leader of the Democrat Party...
said his government acknowledged and would comply with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973, but expressed caution and said Bangkok
Bangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
would not likely determine its official stance on the intervention until a meeting of the Association of South-East Asian Nations.
– A Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson said, "Viet Nam is deeply concerned about the escalating tension and recent military activities in Libya with many consequences to the lives of Libyan people and regional peace and stability. Viet Nam urges the parties concerned to exercise restraint, put an early end to military activities, promote dialogue and seek peaceful solutions in line with the United Nations Charter and the principles of international law and the respect of the independence and sovereignty of states."
Europe
– Prime Minister Sali BerishaSali Berisha
Sali Ram Berisha is an Albanian politician and cardiologist, currently the Prime Minister of Albania and the leader of Democratic Party of Albania ....
supports the decision of the coalition to protect civilians from the Libyan regime of Gaddafi. In a press release of the Prime Ministry, these operations are considered entirely legitimate, having as main objective the protection of freedoms and universal rights that Libyans deserve. Berisha said his country is ready to help.
– A statement issued by the Foreign Ministry said, "The missile strikes and bombings on the territory of Libya go beyond Resolution 1973 of the UN Security Council and are in breach of its principal goal, ensuring safety of civilian population. The Republic of Belarus calls on the states involved with the military operation to cease, with immediate effect, the military operations which lead to human casualties. The settlement of the conflict is an internal affair of Libya and should be carried out by the Libyan people alone without military intervention from outside."
– The government committed several F-16 Fighting Falcon
F-16 Fighting Falcon
The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a multirole jet fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force . Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft. Over 4,400 aircraft have been built since...
jets and at least one ship to aid in enforcing the UN mandate in Libya.
– On 17 March, Bosnia and Herzegovina voted for a United Nations Security Council resolution to establish a Libyan no-fly zone in its capacity as a nonpermanent member.
– Prime Minister Boyko Borisov
Boyko Borisov
Boyko Metodiev Borisov is a Bulgarian politician who has been Prime Minister of Bulgaria since July 2009. Previously he was Mayor of Sofia from 8 November 2005 until his election as Prime Minister....
made an official statement supporting the resolution and called for Gaddafi to step down, but told TV7 that the intervention was an "adventure" oil grab by the western powers. President Georgi Purvanov criticised the intervention, and said that NATO should have had a unanimous support for it. Foreign Minister Nikolai Mladenov dissented from Purvanov's position, calling the president's comments "absurd" and criticising him for airing his misgivings publicly.
– President Ivo Josipović
Ivo Josipović
Ivo Josipović is a Croatian politician who has been President of Croatia since 2010. Josipović entered politics as a member of the League of Communists of Croatia , and played a key role in the democratic transformation of this party as the author of the first statute of the SDP that replaced the...
said that if it becomes necessary Croatia will honour its NATO membership and participate in the actions in Libya. He also stressed that while Croatia is ready for military participation according to its capabilities, it will mostly endeavor to help on the humanitarian side.
– There was a considerable debate in the Czech Republic over its stance on Libya. Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg
Karel Schwarzenberg
Karel Schwarzenberg or Karel, Prince of Schwarzenberg , 7...
appears to have flipflopped throughout the discussion. On 22 February, Schwarzenberg joined Georgian diplomat Vashadze in calling for the West to "punish" Gaddafi for his "violent actions. On 24 February, Schwarzenberg changed his stance to saying that the West should stay out of Libya. On 1 March, Schwarzenberg said that the West should intervene only if disaster threatened. On 20 March, Schwarzenberg said the EU should not "get involved too much", adding, "If Gaddafi falls, then there will be bigger catastrophes in the world. It's no use for anyone if we intervene there loudly, just to prove our own importance." On 21 March, Schwarzenberg appeared to backtrack after facing criticism for allegedly boosting Gaddafi saying, "At the moment, as long as the weapons are speaking, we can only hope and urge for this [conflict] to stop." The Czech Republic supports the EU's call for an "immediate end" to violence against civilians in Libya. On the same day, Schwarzenburg went further to say that the Czech Republic would join the operation if requested, suggesting that they could deploy their chemical unit if Gaddafi used chemical weapons; he also offered to take part in humanitarian aid. Schwarzenburg and Vondra still expressed some doubts about the operation, they went further to slam Russian and Chinese obstruction as "hypocritical". They further said that NATO should lead the operation and that it would be inappropriate once that was the case for member nations to adopt separate stances. President Václav Klaus
Václav Klaus
Václav Klaus is the second President of the Czech Republic and a former Prime Minister .An economist, he is co-founder of the Civic Democratic Party, the Czech Republic's largest center-right political party. Klaus is a eurosceptic, but he reluctantly endorsed the Lisbon treaty as president of...
is against the no-fly zone over Libya, saying enforcing a no-fly zone effectively constitutes a war. The same day, former president Václav Havel released a statement criticizing Klaus' stance and saying that intervention was necessary as Gaddafi was an "insane dictator" and that by not intervening, the EU and NATO would be "risking lives". Havel further extrapolated Klaus' stance on Libya to the stances of those who "hesitated" with regard to Slobodan Milošević, and stated that those kind of views had allowed "had allowed many grave horrors to be committed". Klaus responded that he "opposed Havel's comments". The Czech Republic's Prime Minister, Petr Nečas, stated clearly on 18 March that the Czech Republic would not be involved in the implementation of the UN resolution, although he didn't rule out participation in humanitarian actions. A 30 March poll showed that Czechs were divided in whether they support the mission, with a near 50-50 split on support, but despite this, 70.1% opposed Czech involvement in the no-fly zone.
– On 19 March, the Danish Parliament voted unanimously to send fighter jets to enforce the no-fly zone, marking the only time so far in the nation's history that military commitment was supported by full parliamentary unity.
– Foreign Minister Urmas Paet
Urmas Paet
Urmas Paet is an Estonian politician who has been Minister of Foreign Affairs of Estonia since 2005. He is a member of the Estonian Reform Party. As of September 2010, Paet has been the longest serving minister since the re-establishment of Estonian independence.-Biography:Paet was born in Tallinn...
told Estonian Public Broadcasting on 18 March that his government does not plan to participate in international military operations against Libya, but it would join them if requested to do so by NATO or the EU
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
.
– Minister for Foreign Affairs Alexander Stubb
Alexander Stubb
Cai-Göran Alexander Stubb is a Finnish politician and Minister for Foreign Affairs from 4 April 2008 to 22 June 2011...
said his government has "considered" participating in coalition efforts in Libya, but ruled out sending the Finnish Air Force
Finnish Air Force
The Finnish Air Force is one of the branches of the Finnish Defence Forces. Its peacetime tasks are airspace surveillance, identification flights, and production of readiness formations for wartime conditions...
's F/A-18 Hornet
F/A-18 Hornet
The McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet is a supersonic, all-weather carrier-capable multirole fighter jet, designed to dogfight and attack ground targets . Designed by McDonnell Douglas and Northrop, the F/A-18 was derived from the latter's YF-17 in the 1970s for use by the United States Navy and...
s to enforce the no-fly zone and said he did not see a role for Finland in the coalition. President Tarja Halonen
Tarja Halonen
Tarja Kaarina Halonen is the incumbent President of Finland. The first female to hold the office, Halonen had previously been a member of the parliament from 1979 to 2000 when she resigned after her election to the presidency...
explained, "We are not, in this respect, a country that really specialises in air forces." She also warned, "Any use of force casts long shadows", opining that the international intervention could stretch on for "longer than we now believe".
– Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle
Guido Westerwelle
Guido Westerwelle [] is a German liberal politician, who, since 28 October 2009, has been serving as the Foreign Minister in the second cabinet of Chancellor Angela Merkel, and who was Vice Chancellor of Germany from 2009 to 2011. He is the first openly gay person to hold either of those positions...
was skeptical of the no-fly zone and on 15 March called the idea "potentially dangerous" although he recommended greater political pressure be put on the Libyan leader. Accordingly Germany, which was a non-permanent member of the UN security council, abstained from resolution 1973 on Libya. This decision was criticised from various political sides in Germany, including his CDU coalition partners, saying it was a "mistake of historical dimension".
– Foreign Minister János Martonyi
János Martonyi
János Martonyi is a Hungarian politician and Foreign Minister of Hungary. He is a member of the Fidesz party, and was also Foreign Minister between 1998 and 2002...
said that Hungary "is glad that this decree came to life, the UN made the right decision". He also noted that he wished such a decision would have been made sooner to save more civilian lives.
– Foreign Minister Ģirts Valdis Kristovskis
Girts Valdis Kristovskis
Ģirts Valdis Kristovskis is a Latvian politician and the current Foreign Minister of Latvia in the Cabinet of Valdis Dombrovskis....
affirmed his government's support for the UN resolution, saying it was "unacceptable for the international community to remain in an observer's role" during the crisis. "The people of Libya ... should themselves decide their future, and therefore conditions should be put in place for them to do so freely", Kristovskis added. He also praised NATO's decision to take over international operations in the Libyan theater, saying it "raises hope that a sustainable solution will be achieved".
– On 24 March, Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker
Jean-Claude Juncker
Jean-Claude Juncker is a Luxembourg politician, 23rd and current Prime Minister of Luxembourg, since 20 January 1995. He is the longest standing head of government of any European Union state...
said his government "generally welcomes" the resolution, to which he insisted on "strict adherence" on the part of coalition forces. Juncker added that he wanted NATO to take control of coalition military efforts in Libya as soon as possible.
– In a statement dated 21 March, the government in Skopje
Skopje
Skopje is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Macedonia with about a third of the total population. It is the country's political, cultural, economic, and academic centre...
said it "supports and joins" efforts to enforce the UN mandate in Libya and called for a "peaceful and sustainable solution" to the political crisis in the country.
– President George Abela
George Abela
George Abela is a Maltese politician who has been President of Malta since April 2009.-Early life:Abela was born in Qormi, Malta, to George and Ludgarda née Debono. He attended the local primary school in Qormi, and the Lyceum in Hamrun. In 1965 he enrolled in the University of Malta, where he...
expressed strong support for the no-fly zone, telling The Australian
The Australian
The Australian is a broadsheet newspaper published in Australia from Monday to Saturday each week since 14 July 1964. The editor in chief is Chris Mitchell, the editor is Clive Mathieson and the 'editor-at-large' is Paul Kelly....
on 27 March that "it has eliminated Gaddafi's air force", though he fretted the intervention might not have been "timely enough".
– On 22 March, the Netherlands agreed to aid military involvement. The government sent six F-16 Fighting Falcon
F-16 Fighting Falcon
The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a multirole jet fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force . Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft. Over 4,400 aircraft have been built since...
, a naval ship, a refuelling jet and about 200 personnel to Libya. They would not attack ground targets, but would be helping maintain the arms embargo.
– On 19 March, the government authorized the Royal Norwegian Air Force
Royal Norwegian Air Force
The Royal Norwegian Air Force is the air force of Norway. It was established as a separate arm of the Norwegian armed forces on 10 November 1944. The RNoAF's peace force is approximately 1,430 employees . 600 personnel also serve their draft period in the RNoAF...
to head for Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
and prepare for missions there. Norway approved six General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon fighters and necessary personnel.
– Prime Minister Donald Tusk
Donald Tusk
Donald Franciszek Tusk is a Polish politician who has been Prime Minister of Poland since 2007. He was a co-founder and is chairman of the Civic Platform party....
announced that Polish soldiers would not take military action in Libya, although he voiced support for the UN Resolution
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973, on the situation in Libya, is a measure that was adopted on 17 March 2011. The Security Council resolution was proposed by France, Lebanon, and the United Kingdom....
and pledged to offer logistical support. Tusk stated in an interview that he was unenthusiastic about the operation.
– Russia abstained from voting on a UN Security Council resolution to create a no-fly zone over Libya rather than use its veto to block the resolution. Days later, the Foreign Ministry said that it noted "with regret this armed action, taken in conjunction with the hastily passed U.N. Security Council Resolution 1973". On 21 March, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin served as the second President of the Russian Federation and is the current Prime Minister of Russia, as well as chairman of United Russia and Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Union of Russia and Belarus. He became acting President on 31 December 1999, when...
described the resolution as "defective and flawed" stating that it "resembles medieval calls for crusades
Crusades
The Crusades were a series of religious wars, blessed by the Pope and the Catholic Church with the main goal of restoring Christian access to the holy places in and near Jerusalem...
", comments that were later called "unacceptable" by President Dmitry Medvedev
Dmitry Medvedev
Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev is the third President of the Russian Federation.Born to a family of academics, Medvedev graduated from the Law Department of Leningrad State University in 1987. He defended his dissertation in 1990 and worked as a docent at his alma mater, now renamed to Saint...
. On the same day Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov commented after a meeting with the Secretary-General of the Arab League
Arab League
The Arab League , officially called the League of Arab States , is a regional organisation of Arab states in North and Northeast Africa, and Southwest Asia . It was formed in Cairo on 22 March 1945 with six members: Egypt, Iraq, Transjordan , Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Syria. Yemen joined as a...
, Amr Moussa
Amr Moussa
Amr Mohammed Moussa is an Egyptian politician and diplomat who was the Secretary-General of the Arab League, a 22-member forum representing Arab states, from 1 June 2001 until 1 June 2011. He is a candidate in the 2011 Egyptian presidential election....
, that Moscow supported the Arab League resolution which had called for a no-fly zone over Libya.
– The government issued a statement saying that Serbia is deeply concerned about the situation in Libya, especially the risks to the lives of civilians. The statement said that Serbia calls for the respect of UN Security Council Resolution 1973 and international humanitarian law in order to immediately stop civilian deaths and further demolition of the country and that Serbia fully endorses Libya's territorial integrity and wholeness. Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremić
Vuk Jeremic
Vuk Jeremić is a Serbian politician and the current Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Government of Serbia. He was sworn in on May 15, 2007 and reelected on July 7, 2008.-Education:Jeremić was born in Belgrade in 1975 to Miško Jeremić and Sena Buljubašić...
called on all three sides to immediately put an end to all military operations for the sake of protecting civilian lives. The ruling party representative MP in the National Assembly stated that while Serbia has a clear position to advocate for the respect of human rights it has a reason to believe that bombing a country is not the happiest way to reach the realization of human rights.
– The government "welcomed" the adoption of the resolution, which neighboring Bosnia and Herzegovina voted to approve, by the United Nations Security Council.
– Foreign Minister Carl Bildt
Carl Bildt
, Honorary KCMG is a Swedish politician, diplomat and nobleman. Formerly Prime Minister of Sweden from 1991 to 1994 and leader of the liberal conservative Moderate Party from 1986 to 1999, Bildt has served as Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs since 6 October 2006...
announced that his government would consider military action in support of a no-fly zone if it is requested by NATO. On 29 March, the government approved the deployment of JAS 39 Gripen
JAS 39 Gripen
The Saab JAS 39 Gripen is a lightweight single-engine multirole fighter manufactured by the Swedish aerospace company Saab. It was designed to replace the Saab 35 Draken and 37 Viggen in the Swedish Air Force...
multirole jet fighters to Libya to enforce the no-fly zone, though it included the stipulation that they will not be used to carry out airstrikes unless they are targeted by surface-to-air missile
Surface-to-air missile
A surface-to-air missile or ground-to-air missile is a missile designed to be launched from the ground to destroy aircraft or other missiles...
s or anti-aircraft artillery.
– The government "recognized" the UN Security Council's decision to mandate action on 18 March. Defence Minister Ueli Maurer
Ueli Maurer
Ueli Maurer is a member of the Swiss Federal Council and head of the Swiss Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sports...
said he didn't think the no-fly zone or airstrikes would be sufficient to stop Gaddafi. Maurer said he supported the resolution but wanted Switzerland to remain neutral in the conflict. Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey
Micheline Calmy-Rey
Micheline Anne-Marie Calmy-Rey is the President of the Confederation in Switzerland, head of government. She is also Switzerland's foreign minister as head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs. She has been a member of the Swiss Federal Council since 2003, and was President of the...
said that the Swiss policy of neutrality
Neutrality (international relations)
A neutral power in a particular war is a sovereign state which declares itself to be neutral towards the belligerents. A non-belligerent state does not need to be neutral. The rights and duties of a neutral power are defined in Sections 5 and 13 of the Hague Convention of 1907...
extended to the conflict, though she suggested that allowing coalition aircraft to use Swiss airspace for conducting operations over Libya was not a violation of that policy.
– In a statement on 21 March, President Viktor Yanukovych
Viktor Yanukovych
Viktor Fedorovych Yanukovych is a Ukrainian politician who has been the President of Ukraine since February 2010.Yanukovych served as the Governor of Donetsk Oblast from 1997 to 2002...
acknowledged the resolution and said Ukraine would comply with its provisions, but expressed caution and reiterated Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
's opposition to any effort by a foreign power to occupy Libya. Ukraine, he added, would continue to focus on efforts to evacuate civilians and nationals of Ukraine and its allies from Libya. "It is fundamentally important for us that even despite the establishment of a no-fly zone over the territory of Libya, all the possibilities of providing humanitarian aid and evacuation of civilians were preserved", Yanukovych said.
– On 21 March, Parliament voted 557 to 13 in favour of the military involvement. A ComRes
ComRes
ComRes is a polling and research consultancy with British origins. The company has its registered company headquarters in London, United Kingdom and also has offices in Brussels, Edinburgh and Cardiff...
/ITN survey found that only one in three UK citizens agree with the decision to take military action in Libya although the Londoners polled in the survey "agreed they would like to see Gaddafi removed, but not through bombing." A poll by YouGov
YouGov
YouGov, formerly known as PollingPoint in the United States, is an international internet-based market research firm launched in the UK in May 2000 by Stephan Shakespeare, now Chief Executive Officer, and Nadhim Zahawi...
a few days later showed that more of the British public supported the no-fly zone than not.
Oceania
– After the creation of a no-fly zone, which Foreign Minister Kevin RuddKevin Rudd
Kevin Michael Rudd is an Australian politician who was the 26th Prime Minister of Australia from 2007 to 2010. He has been Minister for Foreign Affairs since 2010...
vocally supported, Prime Minister Julia Gillard
Julia Gillard
Julia Eileen Gillard is the 27th and current Prime Minister of Australia, in office since June 2010.Gillard was born in Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales and migrated with her family to Adelaide, Australia in 1966, attending Mitcham Demonstration School and Unley High School. In 1982 Gillard moved...
voiced strong support for international military action in the skies above Libya, though Defence Minister Stephen Smith
Stephen Smith (Australian politician)
Stephen Francis Smith , is the Australian Minister for Defence. He has been an Australian Labor Party member of the Australian House of Representatives since March 1993, representing the Division of Perth, Western Australia....
said he does not expect Australia will send military assets to the theatre beyond possibly supplying humanitarian efforts with Royal Australian Air Force
Royal Australian Air Force
The Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
transport planes like the C-17 Globemaster.
– Foreign Minister Murray McCully
Murray McCully
Murray Stuart McCully is a New Zealand politician. He is a member of the National Party, and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister for Sport and Recreation, and Minister for the Rugby World Cup.-Early life:...
praised the United Nations Security Council's vote to create of a no-fly zone over Libya, but added that he worried "it will be a case of too little too late". Prime Minister John Key
John Key
John Phillip Key is the 38th Prime Minister of New Zealand, in office since 2008. He has led the New Zealand National Party since 2006....
also lauded the vote and international efforts in Libya, noting that New Zealand is adopting sanctions against Gaddafi's regime, but said he doesn't think New Zealand has much to offer in military assets for the no-fly zone. Although Key said he would not commit military support, he said, "It's quite clear that Gaddafi has been undertaking violence against his people, it's abhorrent, we want to see that end, and we do want to see a smooth and peaceful transition to a new leader." Labour Party
New Zealand Labour Party
The New Zealand Labour Party is a New Zealand political party. It describes itself as centre-left and socially progressive and has been one of the two primary parties of New Zealand politics since 1935....
leader Phil Goff
Phil Goff
Philip Bruce Goff is the current Leader of the Opposition and the Leader of the New Zealand Labour Party. During the Fifth Labour Government, he served in a number of ministerial portfolios, including Minister of Defence of New Zealand, Minister of Corrections, Minister of Foreign Affairs and...
echoed the government's support for intervention and said a solution should be sought as so not to leave the conflict at an "impasse".
– On 27 March, Foreign Affairs Minister Peter Shanel Agovaka said his government supports the resolution. "Solomon Islands will always support any resolution that aims to protect human rights and in this situation Resolution 1973 is fully supported", said Agovaka.
Non-UN member governments
– The Ministry of Foreign Affairs published a letter from the "Association of Youth Organizations in Abkhazia" decrying the intervention and calling upon Foreign Affairs Minister Maksim Gundjia to communicate the opposition of "Abkhazian Youth" to "the war and violence of any kind" in both English and Russian on its website.- According to a report by SE Times, Kosovo Albanians, likening Gaddafi's actions against the opposition to those of Milosevic twelve years earlier, widely sympathized with the rebels and were avid supporters of the idea of a no-fly zone. Secondary reasons that were told to reporters included the autocracy in Libya under Gaddafi, as well as Gaddafi's support for Milosevic and opposition to Kosovo's independence. Likewise, the Kosovar government supported the air strikes, with Hashim Thaci saying that ""Kosovo understands the importance of such interventions from 1999, and supports the efforts of the Libyan people for freedom and democracy, in becoming an important country of the Arab world".
– The National Transitional Council
National Transitional Council
The National Transitional Council of Libya , sometimes known as the Transitional National Council, the Interim National Council, or the Libyan National Council,...
in Benghazi asked for international support and has been vocally appreciative of coalition efforts, though Chairman Mustafa Abdul Jalil
Mustafa Abdul Jalil
Mustafa Abdul Jalil or Abdul-Jalil is the Chairman of the National Transitional Council of Libya, and as such serves as head of state in Libya's caretaker government which was formed as a result of the 2011 Libyan civil war. He is also a spokesman for the city of Bayda...
complained to Al Jazeera
Al Jazeera
Al Jazeera is an independent broadcaster owned by the state of Qatar through the Qatar Media Corporation and headquartered in Doha, Qatar...
during the Second Battle of Benghazi
Second Battle of Benghazi
The Second Battle of Benghazi was a battle in the 2011 Libyan civil war between army units and militiamen loyal to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi and anti-Gaddafi forces...
about perceived delays in action by the combined air forces, saying, "The international community is late in intervening to save civilians from Gaddafi's forces." The militia took advantage of coalition airstrikes, retaking Ajdabiya
Ajdabiya
Ajdabiya was one of the districts of Libya. It lay in the northeastern part of the country. Its capital was Ajdabiya. As of 2007 it was subsumed within the enlarged Al Wahat District....
, Brega
Brega
Brega may refer to:*Brega , an inhabited location in Libya**Marsa Brega Airport, the airport for Brega-People:...
, Uqayla, and Ra's Lanuf
Ra's Lanuf
Ra's Lanuf is a Mediterranean town in northern Libya, on the Gulf of Sidra. The town is also home to the Ra's Lanuf Refinery, completed in 1984, with a crude oil refining capacity of . The oil refinery is operated by the Ra's Lanuf Oil & Gas Processing Company, a subsidiary of the state-owned...
on its push westward from Benghazi. A spokesman for the council said representatives of the interim government are consulted by military commanders of the coalition forces in an effort to coordinate airstrikes with militia movements and local intelligence.
– MOFA
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Republic of China)
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China is a cabinet level policy-making body, governed under the Executive Yuan of the Republic of China. The fundamental purpose of the ministry is to promote, expand, and conduct bilateral foreign affairs with other nations. It is in charge of...
spokesman James Chang said government ministries were monitoring the conflict but did not believe the oil supply to the ROC's main island of Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
would be disrupted. The government also warned Gaddafi to comply with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973, on the situation in Libya, is a measure that was adopted on 17 March 2011. The Security Council resolution was proposed by France, Lebanon, and the United Kingdom....
and stand down his forces.
– Pope Benedict XVI called for an immediate ceasefire by all sides. "I appeal to international organisations and those with political and military responsibilities to immediately launch a dialogue to suspend the use of arms", the pope said in the Vatican
Vatican City
Vatican City , or Vatican City State, in Italian officially Stato della Città del Vaticano , which translates literally as State of the City of the Vatican, is a landlocked sovereign city-state whose territory consists of a walled enclave within the city of Rome, Italy. It has an area of...
.
NGOs
- The International Federation for Human Rights stated that it welcomed the resolution which finally offers protection to civilians in Libya, who are the targets of crimes which can be considered crimes against humanityCrime against humanityCrimes against humanity, as defined by the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court Explanatory Memorandum, "are particularly odious offenses in that they constitute a serious attack on human dignity or grave humiliation or a degradation of one or more human beings...
. - Kenneth RothKenneth RothKenneth Roth is an American attorney and has been the executive director of Human Rights Watch since 1993.-Background:Kenneth Roth, a graduate of Yale Law School and Brown University, was drawn to human rights causes through his Jewish father's experience of fleeing Nazi Germany in 1938...
, executive director of the Human Rights WatchHuman Rights WatchHuman Rights Watch is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Its headquarters are in New York City and it has offices in Berlin, Beirut, Brussels, Chicago, Geneva, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, Paris, San Francisco, Tokyo,...
, stated that the Security Council at last lived up to its duty to prevent mass atrocities. He further commented the Arab League's role, stating that "the league had watched silently as Sudan's Omar al-BashirOmar al-BashirLieutenant General Omar Hassan Ahmad Al-Bashir is the current President of Sudan and the head of the National Congress Party. He came to power in 1989 when he, as a brigadier in the Sudanese army, led a group of officers in a bloodless military coup that ousted the government of Prime Minister...
committed crimes against humanity in Darfur -- or, less recently, as Iraq's Saddam HusseinSaddam HusseinSaddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti was the fifth President of Iraq, serving in this capacity from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003...
massacred Shia and Kurds, and Syria's Hafez al-Asad destroyed the town of Hama. But the league apparently sensed the winds of change wafting through the Middle East and North Africa, and felt compelled to respond."
Individuals
Muslim BrotherhoodMuslim Brotherhood
The Society of the Muslim Brothers is the world's oldest and one of the largest Islamist parties, and is the largest political opposition organization in many Arab states. It was founded in 1928 in Egypt by the Islamic scholar and schoolteacher Hassan al-Banna and by the late 1940s had an...
-linked Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
ian scholar Yusuf al-Qaradawi
Yusuf al-Qaradawi
Yusuf al-Qaradawi is a controversial Egyptian Islamic theologian. He is best known for his programme, ash-Shariah wal-Hayat , broadcast on Al Jazeera, which has an estimated audience of 60 million worldwide...
expressed his support for the no-fly zone
No-fly zone
A no-fly zone is a territory or an area over which aircraft are not permitted to fly. Such zones are usually set up in a military context, somewhat like a demilitarized zone in the sky, and usually prohibit military aircraft of a belligerent nation from operating in the region.-Iraq,...
put in place by the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
over Libya, saying, "The operation in Libya is to protect the civilians from Gaddafi's tyranny." Qaradawi also slammed Arab League
Arab League
The Arab League , officially called the League of Arab States , is a regional organisation of Arab states in North and Northeast Africa, and Southwest Asia . It was formed in Cairo on 22 March 1945 with six members: Egypt, Iraq, Transjordan , Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Syria. Yemen joined as a...
leader and likely presidential candidate
Egyptian presidential election, 2011
A presidential election is expected to be held in Egypt in March or April 2012. It will be the second even remotely competitive presidential election in Egypt's history, following the 2005 election and presidential confirmation referendums in 1999, 1993, and earlier...
Amr Moussa
Amr Moussa
Amr Mohammed Moussa is an Egyptian politician and diplomat who was the Secretary-General of the Arab League, a 22-member forum representing Arab states, from 1 June 2001 until 1 June 2011. He is a candidate in the 2011 Egyptian presidential election....
for remarks criticizing the international intervention.
Former Mozambican
Mozambique
Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...
President Joaquim Chissano
Joaquim Chissano
Joaquim Alberto Chissano served as the second President of Mozambique for nineteen years from 6 November 1986 until 2 February 2005. Since stepping down as president, Chissano has become an elder statesman and is called upon by international bodies, such as the United Nations, to be an envoy or...
expressed "uncertainty" toward the no-fly zone imposed by the UN Security Council. "The military measures should not damage the people more than the regime", Chissano said.
The leader of the Muslim general council in Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
called international military intervention in support of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973, on the situation in Libya, is a measure that was adopted on 17 March 2011. The Security Council resolution was proposed by France, Lebanon, and the United Kingdom....
an attack on Islam and described it as "barbaric" and a "massacre". The council called for an immediate ceasefire.
A French MEP
Member of the European Parliament
A Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...
and president of the National Front, Marine Le Pen
Marine Le Pen
Marine Le Pen is a French politician, a lawyer by profession and the president of the Front National since 16 January 2011...
claimed that the transfer of the US command towards NATO increased the submissiveness of the French Armed Forces. Denouncing "the US supremacy" in the military intervention, she "refused the idea that France slavishly followed the USA in this new stalemate". One month after the launching of hostilities, she claimed that France sank into Sarkozy's vote-catching war in Libya. She noticed that "the United Nations' mandate had largely been overstepped" and that "the deaths of civilians increased". Denouncing the planned dispatch of British, French and Italian military advisers to Libya and "Sarkozy's lies" about the war, she lamented the decision of the French authorities to compromise further France in "a new Afghanistan".
Noam Chomsky
Noam Chomsky
Avram Noam Chomsky is an American linguist, philosopher, cognitive scientist, and activist. He is an Institute Professor and Professor in the Department of Linguistics & Philosophy at MIT, where he has worked for over 50 years. Chomsky has been described as the "father of modern linguistics" and...
has criticized the intervention, saying that "[t]here was no effort to institute a no-fly zone. The triumvirate at once interpreted the resolution as authorizing direct participation on the side of the rebels. A ceasefire was imposed by force on Gaddafi's forces, but not on the rebels. On the contrary, they were given military support as they advanced to the West, soon securing the major sources of Libya's oil production, and poised to move on." He has questioned the motives of overthrowing Gaddafi, saying, "the vast territory of Libya is mostly unexplored, and oil specialists believe it may have rich untapped resources, which a more dependable government might open to Western exploitation."