Post date: Sep 22, 2011 10:58:59 PM
Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe accuses NATO and the U.N. Security Council of "deliberately" avoiding peaceful mediation in Libya and illegally bombing Libyan civilians.
UNITED NATIONS (SEPTEMBER 22, 2011) UNTV - Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe accused NATO countries of sidelining the African Union and opting for military activity in Libya instead.
Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday (September 22), Mugabe said "Whatever political disturbances might have first occurred in Benghazi, the process of mediation and peaceful negotiations was never given full play. It was deliberately and blatantly excluded from shedding positive influence over developments. There was quick resort to invoking Chapter VII of the Charter with gross deliberate misinterpretation of the scope of the mandate originally given NATO to oversee and protect civilians."
"We are yet to be convinced that the involvement of the mighty powers in Libya's affairs has not hindered the advent of the process of peace, democracy and prosperity in that sister African country."
Mugabe also charged that the Security Council's mandate was misused in order to help overthrow Muammar Gaddafi and install new leadership.
"Our African Union would never have presumed to impose a leadership on the fraternal people of Libya as NATO countries have illegally sought to do and in fact have done. At the very least, the African Union would have wished to join those principled members of this august body who preferred an immediate ceasefire and peaceful dialogue in Libya."
"Indeed, more than other states, all the five permanent members of the Security Council bear a huge responsibility in this regard for ensuring that their historical privilege is used more to protect the U.N. Charter than to breach it as is happening currently in Libya through the blatant illegal, brutal and callous NATO's murderous bombings," Mugabe said.
NATO says its air strikes in Libya since March have not killed large numbers of civilians.
The 28-member body agreed on Wednesday (September 21) to a three-month extension of its air-and-sea campaign in Libya as the country's new rulers try to dislodge well-armed Gaddafi loyalists holding out in several towns.
The United Nations-mandated mission, which NATO took over on March 31, was due to expire on September 27, and it was the second 90-day extension to the mission to protect civilians that has involved a campaign of air strikes and a naval mission to enforce a U.N. arms embargo against ousted leader Muammar Gaddafi's government.
Mugabe also called for reform of the U.N. Security Council and reiterated a call for at least two permanent seats on the Council from African nations.