Latin American Nations Pledge for Peace in Libya
By Edward Ellis, 11 March 2011.
Source: Correo del Orinoco International
Member states of the Latin American and Caribbean alliance, ALBA, pledged their support last Friday for a peace delegation to intercede in the insurrection currently playing out in the North African country of Libya.
The announcement was made during a meeting of the regional trade alliance’s political council held in Caracas.
In an official statement released last Friday, the integrationist block expressed its commitment to a peaceful solution in Libya and its support for a multilateral delegation to mediate between the warring factions.
“The Political Council of the Bolivarian Alliance for the People of Our America – People’s Trade Agreement (ALBA-TCP), shares the global concern for the situation of conflict in Libya with its resulting loss of life and expresses its interest in the achievement of a peaceful and sovereign solution…without foreign interference, guaranteeing the territorial integrity of the country”, the declaration states.
PEACE COMMISSION
Earlier last week, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who visited Libya last October and signed various agreements with the government of Colonel Muamar Gaddafi, offered Venezuela to head up an international delegation in efforts to avoid further bloodshed in the country.
“A big effort needs to be made and we can’t lose a day in forming a commission that goes as soon as possible to Libya”, Chavez said suggesting that former US President, Jimmy Carter, head up the peace delegation.
“Carter could help. I believe he’s a man of goodwill”, the Venezuelan head of state said.
In a letter to Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro, the Libyan government has stated its acceptance of Chavez’s proposal, giving Venezuela the green light “to take the necessary measures to select the members [of the delegation] and coordinate their participation in the dialogue”.
Maduro explained on Friday that the South American nation’s intentions are strictly meant to avoid the loss of life and foster a dialogue between belligerent factions.
“This peace initiative has as its central objective the support of the Libyan people, their search for peace, and the overcoming of the armed conflict that the world is unfortunately observing”, he informed.
AGAINST FOREIGN INTERFERENCE
For its part, ALBA member states also articulated their unanimous opposition to intervention on the part of the United States in the Libyan conflict.
According to its published statement, the regional alliance, “categorically rejects any intervention from NATO or any foreign power in Libya as well as any attempt to take advantage…of the tragic situation in order to justify a war of conquest of the energy and water resources which are the patrimony of the Libyan people”.
ALBA was formed as a Venezuelan initiative in 2004 as a counterbalance to US economic and social hegemony in the Americas.
Its member states include Venezuela, Cuba, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Bolivia, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. The organization’s 11th Presidential Summit is slated to take place in Caracas on April 3.
