Angela Merkel and other leaders to the Libyan dictator an immediate cessation of violence - but its appeals unheeded. The influence of the West on Tripoli is low, in the end it will depend on the will to hold opponents of the Gaddafi. Despite the speech was Muammar al-Gaddafi on Tuesday, "very, very scary," have been ruled Angela Merkel.
The Chancellor threatened Libya with sanctions should not be violence against opponents of the regime set. As the German head of government, other Western politicians have not let a lack of sharp words of condemnation for the brutal attacks of the Libyan armed forces and foreign mercenaries on demonstrators in Benghazi and Tripoli.
But what can the West really achieve? The collective outrage of the Secretary of State and Government is now dies with no visible effect. The street war against the dictator his people continues unabated on Tuesday, there was further serious attacks in the cities. For connoisseurs of the region is not surprising: The Western influence on Libya is low.
The oil wealth makes the desert state economically independent, and diplomatic relations were never particularly close - to the contrary. This is especially true for the U.S.. While the Obama administration could use their protests to the Egyptian line to the military, she has little contact to Tripoli.
The state stood for decades on the black list of terrorist supporters. Only in 2008, diplomatic relations were resumed. "We have no personal relationship at a high level," said a senior former U.S. diplomat in the Washington Post. "To my knowledge, Obama has never spoken with Gaddafi". At the moment, not even a U.S.
ambassador on the spot, the last one was withdrawn after the VRST WikiLeaks revelations. This complicates not only the assessment of the situation in the country - from Libya, reliable information is scarce. The U.S. government must also leave the European allies to put pressure on Libya.
Several EU countries have working relations with Gaddafi, not least in the context of regional cooperation in the Mediterranean Sea. The EU has, however, once again, a torn picture: the EU foreign ministers at their meeting on Monday condemned the actions of the regime but sharp. They could not agree on the imposition of sanctions against Libya.
The demand in Finland and other northern countries was dismissed. Italy rejects sanctions, particularly Italy resisted - the Berlusconi government does not want to jeopardize the close economic relations with the former colony. Libya supplies a quarter of the Italian oil and is a major investor in Italian companies.
Is also afraid of the government in Rome a new wave of refugees from North Africa. Gaddafi had threatened to open the borders for the EU to propose to the side of the demonstrators. This will be in Brussels although considered as an empty threat because Gaddafi has long verln control, but Italy did in his no to sanctions.
Under discussion are an EU travel ban against the Gaddafi clan or a freeze of assets of the Libyan government in foreign countries. From the perspective of the Federal Government could this be the case if necessary even without Italy. "We must recognize that not everyone wants to say now in the same way," said Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle.
The more important it is to be found for the other EU partners, a clear language. It is doubtful whether the proposed sanctions, the dictator at all impressed
The Chancellor threatened Libya with sanctions should not be violence against opponents of the regime set. As the German head of government, other Western politicians have not let a lack of sharp words of condemnation for the brutal attacks of the Libyan armed forces and foreign mercenaries on demonstrators in Benghazi and Tripoli.
But what can the West really achieve? The collective outrage of the Secretary of State and Government is now dies with no visible effect. The street war against the dictator his people continues unabated on Tuesday, there was further serious attacks in the cities. For connoisseurs of the region is not surprising: The Western influence on Libya is low.
The oil wealth makes the desert state economically independent, and diplomatic relations were never particularly close - to the contrary. This is especially true for the U.S.. While the Obama administration could use their protests to the Egyptian line to the military, she has little contact to Tripoli.
The state stood for decades on the black list of terrorist supporters. Only in 2008, diplomatic relations were resumed. "We have no personal relationship at a high level," said a senior former U.S. diplomat in the Washington Post. "To my knowledge, Obama has never spoken with Gaddafi". At the moment, not even a U.S.
ambassador on the spot, the last one was withdrawn after the VRST WikiLeaks revelations. This complicates not only the assessment of the situation in the country - from Libya, reliable information is scarce. The U.S. government must also leave the European allies to put pressure on Libya.
Several EU countries have working relations with Gaddafi, not least in the context of regional cooperation in the Mediterranean Sea. The EU has, however, once again, a torn picture: the EU foreign ministers at their meeting on Monday condemned the actions of the regime but sharp. They could not agree on the imposition of sanctions against Libya.
The demand in Finland and other northern countries was dismissed. Italy rejects sanctions, particularly Italy resisted - the Berlusconi government does not want to jeopardize the close economic relations with the former colony. Libya supplies a quarter of the Italian oil and is a major investor in Italian companies.
Is also afraid of the government in Rome a new wave of refugees from North Africa. Gaddafi had threatened to open the borders for the EU to propose to the side of the demonstrators. This will be in Brussels although considered as an empty threat because Gaddafi has long verln control, but Italy did in his no to sanctions.
Under discussion are an EU travel ban against the Gaddafi clan or a freeze of assets of the Libyan government in foreign countries. From the perspective of the Federal Government could this be the case if necessary even without Italy. "We must recognize that not everyone wants to say now in the same way," said Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle.
The more important it is to be found for the other EU partners, a clear language. It is doubtful whether the proposed sanctions, the dictator at all impressed
- Gaddafi Says He is Ready to Die a Martyr (23/02/2011)
- Gaddafi says will stay in power, protesters are mercenaries (22/02/2011)
- Aide resigns as Gaddafi vows to crush revolt (23/02/2011)
- Gaddafi son to hold press conference in Tripoli (22/02/2011)
- Gaddafi's Next Move: Sabotage Libya's Oil and Sow Chaos? (22/02/2011)
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