Wednesday, April 6, 2011

U.S. envoy arrives in Benghazi to meet with Libyan opposition

.- Chris Stevens, the U.S. sent to Benghazi, arrived in the Libyan capital of the rebels to meet with members of the National Transitional Council (CNT) and assess the possibility of providing support "non-lethal," the U.S. government. "Our representative has arrived in Benghazi and is meeting with members of the CNT," said today the acting spokesman of the State Department, Mark Toner, in his daily briefing.

Stevens, who was the "number two" of the U.S. Embassy in Tripoli until recently when Washington decided to suspend the operations of that legation, speak with leaders of the CNT on the necessary humanitarian assistance, its "democratic aspirations and their commitment to universal human rights.

" The diplomat is responsible for assessing the situation on the ground the rebels, their scheme of organization and composition. "He tries to meet the leadership of the CNT, talk to them about the kind of civil society and political structures who want to create, and on practical help, not lethal, we can provide" a Libyan rebels, the spokesman said.

EU recognizes that the Libyan opposition "needs funds to exist" and therefore evaluated with the help of Stevens the possibilities to meet some of their financing gaps and discuss how it can provide financial assistance given international sanctions, said Toner. Asked if any possible aid would include direct funding to the opposition or through international organizations, the spokesman said that the U.S.

is considering various options. "It is there, try to assess the situation and what makes sense to do from here on out. That's part of why we wanted someone in Benghazi to really assess the situation," said Toner. Stevens, a 50-year veteran diplomat who is fluent in Arabic and has extensive experience in the Middle East.

In late March began the international military intervention to allow the establishment of an air exclusion zone over Libya, where there has been a conflict since February, when protests and uprisings by rebel leader demanded the departure of Muammar Gadhafi were repressed by the Libyan regime.

Gadhafi troops on Tuesday recovered the positions they had lost about oil enclave of Brega and have advanced to at least 15 kilometers of the strategic eastern city of Ajdabiya, reported eyewitnesses in the battlefront. In Benghazi, meanwhile, was again revived fears that Gadhafi troops try again besieging the rebel stronghold, as happened two weeks ago.

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