Libyan diplomats in Kingdom back Qaddafi
Published: Feb 28, 2011 23:13 Updated: Feb 28, 2011 23:13
JEDDAH: Unlike the growing number of Libyan diplomats around the world who have come out in favor of the Libyan uprising, the country's ambassador in Riyadh and its consul general in Jeddah continue to support the Qaddafi regime.
On Monday morning, Ambassador Muhammad Saeed Al-Qashat was in Jeddah to hand a request from Qaddafi's foreign minister, Musa Kusa, to Secretary-General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu for an OIC fact-finding delegation to visit Libya. Al-Qashat was acting in his other capacity as Libya's official ambassador to the OIC.
At the same time, the country's consul general, Mohammed Al-Homrani, told Arab News by telephone that the consulate stood by the regime of Qaddafi and he had no intention of switching sides, unlike other Libyan diplomats. "We still support Qaddafi's government. At same time we do not face problem with Saudi authorities," Al-Homrani said.
"The consulate is still open and continues to offer all services to the Libyan community in Jeddah. We are not involved in the political issues in Libya," he explained. "Our only objectives are to help the Libyan community, renewing their passports and following their affairs in the Kingdom."
Exactly why the Qaddafi regime would now ask the OIC to send a fact-finding mission has raised questions about the its grasp of events. The OIC had already decided to send one. It took that decision last week when it also condemned the behavior of Qaddafi's forces against the protesters. Al-Qashat immediately phoned the OIC on the regime's behalf to protest the condemnation. This latest move is seen as a last-ditch attempt by a desperate regime to try and respond to international fury at its actions.
Musa Kusa is Libya's former intelligence chief and one of Qaddafi's closest associates. Last week, the UK-based Libya Watch called on the International Court of Justice in The Hague to indict him of war crimes charges. That possibility took a further stage forward on Saturday night when the UN Security Council voted to refer the regime's brutal crackdown on protesters to the court.
The Libyan community in the Kingdom is relatively small compared to those of other Arab states. Consulate sources refused to put an exact figure on the number of Libyans in Saudi Arabia.
Comments
DENTON
Mar 1, 2011 11:44
Report abuseDR.WALEED
Mar 2, 2011 03:17
Report abuseJERONE
Mar 2, 2011 03:19
Report abuseBARBARA
Mar 3, 2011 16:26
Report abuseDo you honestly believe that Allah is with Qadaffi while Qadaffi is using the Libyan Air Force to bomb innocent Libyan civilians?