UN chief urges Libya political solution, ceasefire

Published: April 15, 2011 CAIRO (AFP/Reuters) - UN chief Ban Ki-moon called on Thursday for a "political" solution and immediate ceasefire in the conflict in Libya, at an international conference hosted by the Arab League in Cairo."We call for a political process so that the Libyan people can reach their aspirations," Ban, who co-chaired the meeting, told a news conference at the end of the gathering."We reiterate our call for a immediate ceasefire," said the UN secretary general.European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, who also attended the Cairo conference, appealed to Libyan leader Moamer Gaddafi to resign with immediate effect."The European Union's position is very clear - Colonel Gaddafi should step down immediately," she said. "The only solution to end this crisis is a political one," she added, calling for "a dialogue between all parties that should lead to a transitional period." The meeting was also attended by the head of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu and African Union Commission chairman Jean Ping."This conference aims to examine the solutions and political issues of the Libyan crisis and to coordinate the efforts of these various organisations," Egyptian state news agency MENA quoted Ahmed Ben Helli, deputy secretary general of the Arab League, as saying ahead of the gathering.A diplomat who attended the meeting and requested anonymity said the AU's plan was "to persuade Gaddafi to step down" and allow his representatives to negotiate on his behalf in a national dialogue after a ceasefire. The Cairo meeting comes the day after a gathering in the Qatari capital Doha of the Contact Group on Libya, which is responsible for monitoring international intervention in the north African nation.

The meeting decided to set up a fund to aid the rebellion, as well as renewing a call for Gaddafi to step down. Noureddine Mezni, a spokesman for Ping, said that "an international mechanism to implement a ceasefire" in Libya was discussed at the meeting.
"The key now is an immediate ceasefire. Thereafter, we suggest an inclusive, comprehensive dialogue and a transitional period during which the Libyan people will choose its own leaders," Mezni told reporters. "Among the ideas discussed for a mechanism to implement a ceasefire is the deployment of an international force" to interpose between the two sides, he said.
"A military solution is ruled out, and supplying arms to any party only means more destruction during what is already a humanitarian catastrophe," he added.
Meanwhile, NATO on Thursday threw its weight behind growing calls for Moamer Gaddafi to quit, as rebels fighting to topple the veteran Libyan strongman reported an intensive blitz by alliance warplanes and as loud blasts were heard in Tripoli.
The port area of Libya's besieged third city Misrata came under heavy attack by Gaddafi's forces, who fired dozens of Grad missiles and tank shells that killed at least 13 people and wounded 50, a rebel spokesman said. The key crossroads town of Ajdabiya on the front line between the rebel-held east and the mainly government-held west, recaptured from loyalist forces at the weekend, came under renewed assault, an AFP correspondent reported.