Britain expels Libyan embassy staff

posted 27 Jul 2011, 05:36 by Mpelembe [ updated 27 Jul 2011, 05:39 ]

UK announces that it is expelling all Libyan embassy staff from the country and recognises the Libyan opposition council as the sole legitimate governing authority.

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM (JULY 27, 2011) POOL - Britain on Wednesday (July 27) expelled all Libyan embassy staff from the country and announced that it is recognising the opposition National Transitional Council as the sole governing authority.

"We summoned the Libyan Charge's d Affairs here to the Foreign Office this morning and informed him that he and other regime diplomats from the Gaddafi regime must now leave the United Kingdom. We no longer recognise them as the representatives of the Libyan government," Foreign Secretary William Hague told a news conference in London.

Hague added the UK will invite the opposition council to appoint a new envoy to take over the embassy.

"We are inviting the National Transitional Council to appoint a new Libyan diplomatic envoy to take over the Libyan embassy in London," Hague said.

He also added steps were being taken to unfreeze Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's assets.

"In line with the Security Council resolution, the UK continues to explore how to unfreeze assets to support the National Transitional Council," Hague said.

On Tuesday (July 26), U.N. envoy Abdul Elah al-Khatib met with the country's prime minister in an effort to find an end to the war. Khatib later said the government and the rebels remained far apart in the drive for an end to the crisis.

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