Germany Says ‘Military Means’ Not the Answer in Libya
Germany's foreign minister said Friday the situation in Libya could not be solved through "military means" and called for a ceasefire, amid a NATO-led air campaign against Moammar Gadhafi's forces.
Guido Westerwelle made the comments after meeting his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi in Beijing on an official trip that will be followed by a visit to disaster-struck Japan.
"There can only be a political resolution and we must get the political process underway. That should begin with a ceasefire that Gadhafi must heed to allow the peace process to begin," Westerwelle told reporters.
U.S., British, French, Canadian, Danish and Belgian jets have attacked Libyan military targets since March 19 under U.N. Security Council resolution 1973, which authorized "all necessary measures" to protect civilians.
The coalition campaign aims to oust Gadhafi, who is currently fighting an insurgency against his 41-year rule.
China and Germany abstained from the vote on the resolution, which established a no-fly zone over the North African state, and are not participating in the military action against Gadhafi's regime.
Yang noted this, saying it showed that "both countries have reservations on different levels."
"We emphasize that Resolution 1973 was conceived as a means of ending the violence and protecting civilians. We are therefore worried by continued reports of deaths and injuries among civilians and continuing clashes," Yang said.
"We hope that the relevant countries will adhere to the resolution and respect Libya's independence and sovereignty. The matter must be dealt with appropriately by diplomatic and political means."
Source: Agence France Presse
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