Qaddafi welcomes Ch谩vez's offer to mediate in Libya
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As international concern grows about Libya descending into civil war, Libya's Muammar Qaddafi has from longtime ally Venezuelan President Hugo Ch谩vez. But key international players, as well as Libya's opposition and even Mr. Qaddafi's son, have rejected it.
鈥淵ou don't need an international commission to tell Colonel Gaddafi what he needs to do for the good of his country and the good of his people,鈥� US State Department P.J. Crowley was quoted as saying by Al Jazeera. Mr. Crowley鈥檚 sentiments were who said any mediation that would allow Qaddafi to 鈥渟ucceed himself鈥� were 鈥渙bviously not welcome.鈥�
Saif al-Islam Qaddafi, the embattled leader鈥檚 eldest son, also , reports The Latin American Herald Tribune.
鈥淭he Venezuelans have affirmed that they are our friends and respect and like us, but ... Libya is in the Middle East and in North Africa and Venezuela is in Latin America," said Qaddafi鈥檚 son, who then added a word of gratitude. "Thank you, we are grateful to them. They are our friends. It鈥檚 a nice gesture but we can resolve our own problems. There is no need for foreign intervention.鈥�
, however, by the apparent widespread rejection of his proposal, reports CNN.
Ch谩vez and Qaddafi have a longstanding friendship. Ch谩vez has during his 12 years as president, reports Libya鈥檚 Tripoli Post. During Qaddafi鈥檚 visit to Venezuela in 2009, the two leaders exchanged gifts, with Qaddafi giving Ch谩vez a Bedouin tent and Ch谩vez gifting his counterpart a replica of Sim贸n Bol铆var鈥檚 sword.
Ch谩vez seems to see the two leaders as mutual victims and accused the international community of condemning both of them in the past for harboring terrorists without proof and the US of only getting involved because it wants Libya's oil.
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Since Libya鈥檚 unrest began, the Venezuelan leader has spoken out several times to accuse the US and other nations of exaggerating events to justify an invasion, reports CNN.
鈥淚 consulted with [Qaddafi]. I asked him if he was willing to accept a commission of countries,鈥� said Ch谩vez, recounting his conversation with Qaddafi. 鈥淎nd he told me, 鈥楲ook, Chavez, not only of countries; I hope the whole United Nations come here to see the reality of what鈥檚 happening before they start condemning the Libyan government or the Libyan people, before they start thinking as they are now, and preparing to invade Libya.鈥欌��
Arab leaders have not written off the Venezuelan mediation option. Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa said that Qaddafi had not officially accepted the proposal, but that the Arab League was with leaders from Latin America, Europe and the Middle East, reports Venezuela Analysis.
In a blog entry on the Huffington Post, Joel Hirst, an international affairs fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, wrote that the offer is . Ch谩vez appears to lack the diplomatic graces and other requirements to successfully mediate this situation. 鈥淚t is increasingly clear that his offer to mediate in the current crisis in Libya is an attempt to help a friend hold onto power, not a good faith effort to stop the bloodshed,鈥� wrote Mr. Hirst.
