Gaddafi warrant complicates peace effort: African Union
MALABO: An international arrest warrant for Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi complicates efforts to end the conflict, the African Union head has said, also warning of a greater conflict and spread of weapons.
"It complicates the situation," African Union Commission chairman Jean Ping told reporters when asked about the warrant. "I am not the only one to say it. Western countries also say it," he said.
"Everyone knows that the ICC always acts at a moment that is not convenient, to put oil on the fire, we are used to that."
The warrant was issued for the long-time Libyan leader, his son Seif al-Islam, and intelligence chief Abdullah al-Senussi.
Asked if African leaders would act on the warrant, Ping said he could not speak for them. Several have been criticised for acting on an ICC warrant for Sudanese leader Omar al-Bashir, wanted on genocide charges.
Meanwhile France said it had air dropped arms to rebels fighting Gaddafi, for whom the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant last week for atrocities in the conflict that erupted mid-February.
Ping said the pan-continent group was concerned about weapons being supplied to the conflict, saying they could "supply terrorism" or drug traffickers and spread through the region.
"What worries us is not who is giving what, it is just what happens to the weapons that are distributed by all the parties to all the parties," Ping said, adding this included those supplied by Gaddafi.
"It complicates the situation," African Union Commission chairman Jean Ping told reporters when asked about the warrant. "I am not the only one to say it. Western countries also say it," he said.
"Everyone knows that the ICC always acts at a moment that is not convenient, to put oil on the fire, we are used to that."
The warrant was issued for the long-time Libyan leader, his son Seif al-Islam, and intelligence chief Abdullah al-Senussi.
Asked if African leaders would act on the warrant, Ping said he could not speak for them. Several have been criticised for acting on an ICC warrant for Sudanese leader Omar al-Bashir, wanted on genocide charges.
Meanwhile France said it had air dropped arms to rebels fighting Gaddafi, for whom the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant last week for atrocities in the conflict that erupted mid-February.
Ping said the pan-continent group was concerned about weapons being supplied to the conflict, saying they could "supply terrorism" or drug traffickers and spread through the region.
"What worries us is not who is giving what, it is just what happens to the weapons that are distributed by all the parties to all the parties," Ping said, adding this included those supplied by Gaddafi.
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