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Libya conflict: Italy urges Nato to suspend hostilities | Libya conflict: Italy urges Nato to suspend hostilities |
(40 minutes later) | |
Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini has called on Nato to suspend hostilities in Libya to allow humanitarian aid to be brought to the war-torn country. | Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini has called on Nato to suspend hostilities in Libya to allow humanitarian aid to be brought to the war-torn country. |
Mr Frattini said Nato should provide data on results of its bombing campaign and guidelines on targeting errors. | Mr Frattini said Nato should provide data on results of its bombing campaign and guidelines on targeting errors. |
Arab League Chairman Amr Moussa made a similar call on Tuesday, voicing reservations about the Nato campaign. | Arab League Chairman Amr Moussa made a similar call on Tuesday, voicing reservations about the Nato campaign. |
On Sunday a Nato missile apparently misfired striking a residential area. | On Sunday a Nato missile apparently misfired striking a residential area. |
The Libyan government said nine people including two young children were killed in the strike. | The Libyan government said nine people including two young children were killed in the strike. |
The alliance acknowledged that civilian casualties may have resulted from it. | The alliance acknowledged that civilian casualties may have resulted from it. |
Meanwhile Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi described Libya's opposition National Transitional Council as an "important dialogue partner" and an "important domestic political force". | |
Rebel leader Mahmoud Jibril has been holding talks with the Chinese leadership in Beijing. | |
Credibility 'at risk' | |
Speaking to the lower house of the Italian parliament, Mr Frattini called for "an immediate humanitarian suspension of hostilities" to allow an aid corridor to be set up. | Speaking to the lower house of the Italian parliament, Mr Frattini called for "an immediate humanitarian suspension of hostilities" to allow an aid corridor to be set up. |
"With regard to Nato, it is fair to ask for increasingly detailed information on results as well as precise guidelines on the dramatic errors involving civilians," he added. | "With regard to Nato, it is fair to ask for increasingly detailed information on results as well as precise guidelines on the dramatic errors involving civilians," he added. |
On Monday Mr Frattini said Nato's credibility was "at risk" after the residential area strike. | On Monday Mr Frattini said Nato's credibility was "at risk" after the residential area strike. |
Amr Moussa also cast doubt on Nato's efficacy in an interview for The Guardian. | |
"When I see children being killed, I must have misgivings. That's why I warned about the risk of civilian casualties," he told the UK newspaper, adding that the military campaign on its own would not be successful. | |
"You can't have a decisive ending. Now is the time to do whatever we can to reach a political solution," he said. | |
An internationally supervised ceasefire was necessary, he added, followed by a transitional period "to reach an understanding about the future of Libya". | |
Nato's mission - to enforce a no-fly zone over Libya to protect civilians using "all necessary measures" short of a ground invasion - began in March in response to Col Muammar Gaddafi's violent response to a popular uprising. | |
The intervention was mandated by the UN, and led by France, Britain and the US until the end of March, when Nato took over. | |
Having initially been given 90 days - which would have run out on 27 June - the mission has been extended for a further 90 days. |