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Godollo
(Hungary): European Union foreign ministers appeared
reluctant Saturday to approve military action against Libyan
leader Muammar Gaddafi, with the bloc's most influential member,
Germany, appearing to have the strongest doubts.
On Friday, EU leaders called for Gaddafi to "relinquish power
immediately", recognised an umbrella Libyan opposition group as a
"political interlocutor" and pledged to "examine all necessary
options" if attacks against civilians did not stop.
But German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle warned that imposing
a no-fly zone, or any kind of military intervention, could be
misinterpreted as a "Christian crusade against people of the
Muslim faith".
"We don't want to get pulled into a war in North Africa," said
Westerwelle. "I don't think it's healthy when Europe talks about
other countries, instead of with those countries."
Westerwelle spoke at a meeting with EU counterparts in Hungary,
Godollo, which built Friday's summit discussions.
Separately, Czech President Vaclav Klaus also expressed strong
reservations.
"We have to try to help to stop the humanitarian tragedy in Libya
now, but without intervening militarily in Libya or any other
country," he wrote on his blog.
He also characterised the EU recognition of the rebel council in
Benghazi as "at least premature, if not basically wrong".
French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe, whose country has been
leading calls for a no-fly zone, sought to reassure more sceptical
partners.
"It is not about installing a government in Libya, it is simply
about having the means to protect the population if a massacre
were to happen, imagine if (the rebel capital) Benghazi were to be
bombed, for example," he said.
Maltese Foreign Minister Tonio Borg - whose country has some of
the closest ties in the EU with Libya - confirmed that "there is a
reluctance as regards military operations, particularly if they
are not backed by the United Nations."
Borg also broke EU ranks by arguing that the priority should not
be forcing Gaddafi out, but to get an end to the violence.
"I personally have called for a ceasefire ... stop the fighting
and then we shall see what happens," Borg said, adding that if it
was not respected further UN sanctions could be imposed.
The official EU line is that any military intervention would need
"a clear legal basis" such as a UN Security Council mandate, as
well as "support" from regional organisations such as the Arab
League and the African Union, which were invited to hold talks
with the EU.
Juppe said "things are progressing" on getting a UN resolution in
favour of military action, but doubts remained whether
veto-wielding Russia and China would authorize it.
"None of the options are particularly easy," Swedish Foreign
Minister Carl Bildt commented.
One idea, imposing sanctions on Libya's oil industry, could have
unwanted long-term effects, Bildt warned.
He also indicated that any military intervention would "more
likely" be a matter for the EU, rather than NATO.
"It is NATO and in fact the Americans who have the military assets
that are going to be necessary in some of the difficulties," he
stressed.
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