ANY PROSPECT of a no-fly zone being immediately declared over Libya receded as the EU expressed scepticism about French moves to recognise the country’s rebel leadership as its legitimate government.
The EU hardened sanctions against the Gadafy regime by freezing the assets of its sovereign wealth fund and central bank as European heads of state and governments prepared to call on the Libyan leader to stand down at an emergency summit today.
In line with the policy of gradually stepping up pressure on Libya, the possibility of new sanctions against the national oil company is also on the table.
There was little support at a foreign ministers’ meeting in Brussels for the French manoeuvre, which appeared to take other countries by surprise.
A spokesman for EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said it remained the case that the European authorities recognised states, not governments or parties.
“The consensus seemed to support Catherine Ashton’s view that we need to be cautious and prudent regarding recognition,” the spokesman said.
As Germany, Britain and Italy declined to back France, Belgian foreign minister Steven Vanackere said its stance “didn’t muster any consensus”.
Reluctant to intervene militarily in Libya, EU leaders will today call on Col Gadafy to relinquish power immediately. “Libya should rapidly embark on an orderly transition to democracy through a broad-based dialogue,” said a draft communique.
Although the international powers tried to intensify pressure on Col Gadafy by letting it be known that military action to oust him remains a possibility, the European authorities are fearful that any intervention could inflame anti-western sentiment in the Arab world.
“We don’t want to get sucked into a war in North Africa,” said German foreign minister Guido Westerwelle. “We’re not the only country that is sceptical about the wisdom of military intervention through the establishment of a no-fly zone.”
Baroness Ashton, who went from the EU ministers’ meeting to a meeting in Brussels of Nato defence ministers, said the question of a no-fly zone was one for the UN Security Council to decide.
“The really big message is to keep the political pressure on, to stop the violence and to move forward successfully in the transition of Libya to a democratic country.”
Minister for Foreign Affairs Eamon Gilmore did not attend the Brussels meeting as he was at the second Cabinet meeting of the new Government. Mr Gilmore and Baroness Ashton spoke by phone last evening and discussed the situation in north Africa and the Middle East.
US defence secretary Robert Gates said at the Nato meeting that the alliance continued to plan for all military options in Libya.
But Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Nato’s secretary general, made it clear that there was no discussion about any air strikes on Libya to enforce a no-fly zone and said more planning and a clear UN mandate would be required before such a policy could be adopted.
He said there was a risk that Libya could become a “failed state” and a breeding ground for extremism and terrorism.
In Dublin, the Department of Finance yesterday implemented orders prohibiting the transfer of funds between Ireland and Libya.
The move follows last week’s Council of the European Union ruling to impose financial sanctions on Libya.