Shedding light on Libya's uncertain future

Shedding light on Libya's uncertain future
By Euronews
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To find out more on about the possible future of Libya, euronews has been speaking to Mohammed Farhat the representative of Libya’s National Transitional Council to the European Union.

We asked him about the risk of civil war in Libya future relations with the west, Nato’s role in Libya, and first where is Muammar Gaddafi and why the Council has said his son Saif al-Islam was in captivity when it turned out he wasn’t?

Mohammad Farhat:

“According to the National Transitional Council’s sources Gaddafi is still in Libya, probably in the west of the country and one could even say that he has not left the capital Tripoli.

“In an exceptional situation such as has happened in Tripoli over the last two days, it is likely that there will be conflicting information disseminated, but as I speak now, we do not know if Saif al Islam was captured and was able to escape or if he was never caught, but that does not change the fact that Tripoli is actually 90 percent controlled by the forces of the National Transitional Council.”

euronews: “Do you have the technical and political skills to govern Libya?”

Mohammad Farhat:

“I think the National Transitional Council has successfully managed the Libyan crisis during the past six months and I think that it can manage to rebuild the state after Gaddafi.”

euronews: “Do you think there is the risk of civil war in Libya?”

Mohammad Farhat:

“We have no evidence in the field that would lead us to fear a civil war; that is thanks to the lack of religious differences and conflicts between the different elements of the Libyan people. However, over the past few months Gaddafi’s regime has tried to create different kinds of conflicts and to pit the Libyans against each other but the Libyan people have shown they are united.”

euronews: What will be the role of Libya’s tribes?”

Mohammad Farhat:

“The tribes have said that they support the revolution.”

euronews: “Are you worried about terrorist acts against Libya’s oil fields?”

Mohammad Farhat:

“We expect terrorist threats from Gaddafi’s people who are still armed, even if they are fewer in numbers, but the army of the National Transitional Council are taking all precautions to protect oil facilities and resume production and the export of oil as soon as possible.”

euronews: “How will relations with the West be managed in the future and what influence will Western foreign policy have on Libya?”

Mohammad Farhat:

“I think that Libya will respect that it is part of the Arab world and the countries around the Mediterranean and we will respect all treaties and we will work to preserve the environment and take part in the fight against illegal immigration and build up the trade with Europe of renewable energy which is abundant in Libya, and our relations with Europe and the West will be based on principles of mutual respect and common interests.”

euronews:

“Does the Libyan National Transitional Council approve of NATO forces having a military presence on Libyan territory?”

Mohammad Farhat

“We have not approved of that during the crisis and now we are in the phase of rebuilding the country, right now the armed forces of the National Transitional Council are becoming more powerful and organised and are moving more and more away from the idea of having recourse to the presence of Western forces in the field.”

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