In These New Times

Today’s Zaman

27th March, 2011

Italy will propose that it and Germany back a joint plan on Libya that involves a ceasefire, a humanitarian corridor and exile for Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said.

Frattini said in an interview published on Sunday by La Repubblica newspaper that Rome would try to get Berlin to agree to the plan and present it at a London meeting to set up a high-level steering group on Libya.

“We have a plan and we will see if it can be translated into an Italian-German proposal, perhaps in a joint document that can be presented on Tuesday,” he said.

He said it included a ceasefire monitored by the United Nations and a “permanent humanitarian corridor” to let aid in, which he said Turkey was already making efforts to achieve.

Italy would ask for a strong commitment by the Arab League and African Union, above all to have a dialogue with the Libyan opposition, he said. Arab states will attend Tuesday’s meeting.

Frattini said it was “unthinkable” that any solution could leave Gaddafi in power, adding that the African Union was working on trying to persuade him to quit and that even members of his regime were trying to do so.

Britain and France pushed for military action in Libya, Germany resisted and Italy appeared to be left on the sidelines of decision-making, even though its bases are being used.

“In these difficult days, Europe has perhaps lost some pieces. We don’t want to lose Germany and an evolution towards a ceasefire will make it easier to see its re-entry,” Frattini said.

“We will work to walk this last stretch of the road together. We will try to keep Europe together,” he said.

NATO ambassadors will meet on Sunday to discuss plans for broadening the alliance mandate to take full command of military operations, including attacks on ground targets.

NATO officials said if all 28 member states agreed to expand the role of the alliance, it would give it “political control of operational decisions”. However, they said it would “take into account” the guidance of the body that emerges from London.