Rudd hopes Libya no-fly zone not too late

18 March 2011 | 07:09:21 PM| Source: AAP

Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd has urged the international community to move swiftly to impose its no-fly zone over Libya but says Australia will not contribute to it.

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The United Nations Security Council on Friday approved a resolution permitting "all necessary measures" to impose a no-fly zone and protect civilian areas.

The vote passed 10-0 in the 15 member council.

Five countries - including permanent members Russia and China - abstained. Mr Rudd, who has been a vocal advocate of the no-fly zone for almost three weeks, welcomed the decision.

"Let us all hope and pray that this final resolve of the international community is not too late for the people of Libya," he told reporters in Canberra soon after the vote.

"The diplomatic effort has been torturous. The military effort is now critical." But Mr Rudd reaffirmed that Australia would not be providing military support.

"If the no-fly zone was imposed in this part of the world Australian assets would be considered as a possible inclusion in any such UN operation," he said.

"This is in north Africa, it is adjacent to the NATO zone. "It is across the Mediterranean from the NATO zone - this is primarily the responsibility for adjoining states."

Mr Rudd declined to take any credit for the resolution but his predecessor Gareth Evans said it was a win for Australian diplomacy.

Professor Evans - a former Labor foreign minister turned academic - said the resolution was hugely significant for the people of Libya and for the international community. "And it's a very significant achievement for Australia diplomacy," he told AAP.

"Although we can't pretend to have been absolutely central players, since we're not on the security council itself, we were extremely active through Kevin Rudd in promoting - around the region and to all the relevant players - the message that something just had to be done.

"We couldn't just stand by and let this situation further deteriorate." Prime Minister Julia Gillard also welcomed the UN's decision.

"This is particularly timely given our fears for the people of Benghazi, who are facing attack from Gaddafi's forces," she said in a joint statement with Mr Rudd.

US President Barack Obama has called on the leaders of France and Britain to coordinate their strategy following the UN vote. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called the UN resolution a "historic decision" and said he expected immediate action to enforce it.

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Your Comments

19 Mar 2011 13:00 AEST

Ernie

From: Geelong

Their mess, their problem

Why do we have to get involved?. Let the Arabs sort out their own mess, we won't get any thanks and they'll stab us in the back afterwards like they always do.

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19 Mar 2011 5:01 AEST

Himanshu

From: Brisbane

Security coucnil

Aus is not in Security council so it wont contribute obviously . 5 countries - India, China, Brazil, Germany and Russia walked out of security council when they were asked to vote in favor of No-Fly zone. Except Germany rest of the countries are working on Oil drilling projects in Libya and if Gadaffi win, as he said he will cancel all oil contracts of UK, USA and France along with other western world who voted against him and will give to countries who walked out. Oil lubricates world politics

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18 Mar 2011 22:39 AEST

Tom

From: Goldfields

Rudd's "Hope"

A real & effective Leader does not "hope"! A real Leader demonstrates his inability by influencing diplomatically, commercially, professionally, skillfully, experienced & etc. to reach a defined and assessed outcome/ goal on the highest level in a government. Statements like these only confirm to me the absolute incompetence of this current government. What would any follower think of an answer like this for a question: "Leader, what is going to happen" . My respect dwindles more and more...

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