Egypt may join Russia’s probe into the deaths of peaceful Libyans killed by NATO air strikes during its military campaign, Egyptian Foreign Minister Mohamed Kamel Amr said on Wednesday.
“We are considering this issue and consulting with [our] Russian colleagues and will make a decision after the consultations,” Amr said after a meeting in Moscow with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov.
Last week, Russia’s UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin urged NATO to investigate civilian deaths in Libya from its bombing campaign, saying the alliance’s claim that there were no civilian casualties was untrue.
His remarks came after The New York Times claimed up to 70 people were killed in Libya during NATO’s eight-month military operation.
Churkin said he has asked NATO to give “a definitive report” to the UN Security Council summing up its activities in Libya. But he said “unfortunately” the alliance only provided “piecemeal, rather perfunctory reports… (that) were not very informative.”
The international NATO-led military operation in Libya began on March 19, two days after the approval of a UN resolution on “targeted measures” to protect civilians.
Libya saw almost ten months of fierce fighting before the opposition Libyan National Transitional Council established control over the country’s territory.
Ousted Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi was killed in October near his hometown of Sirte after being captured by NTC forces.
Source: RIA Novosti
the NYT “claimed up to 70 people were killed in Libya during NATO’s eight-month military operation.”
And how many of those were military personell???
The military dictaorship in Egypt needs to focus on changing their behaviour towards their own people before they tackle issues in Libya. The same goes for the Russian oligarchy that was in bed with the “Soshbani” of Sirte.
Egypt and Russia are using “Nato” as a cheap excuse to divert attention from their own domestic challenges that have become full blown problems that should be solved heads on. Perhaps, they are realizing to some extent, that their inclusion into Libya’s economic opportunities would be limited. Let us not forget had it not been for the “Shosbani” of Sirte; Egypt would have remained confined to it’s problems during “The Nassarist” Era; and so would mother Russia.
The Egyptinazation of Libya was fully evident during the seventies. This must not repeat itself again. We still need to find out why, certain Libyans were abducted in Egypt, and handed over to the henchmen of Sirte; and what did the mubarak regime, gain in return. We still need to find out, what role Egypt played in the uprising and why it still gave asylym and refuge to the likes of ‘Ali Treki” and other vile former regime members.
Historically, Egyptian dictators have always benefited from Libya excessive largesse. These dictaors fanned the flames of “Arabism” not so much for Arabism sake, but for Egyptian interests.