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This is an archive article published on June 8, 2011
Libya foreign minister in China
A top envoy of beleaguered Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi made a visit here as China for the first time tried its hand at mediation between the government.
Written by Press Trust Of India
Beijing | June 8, 2011 12:38 AM IST
2 min read
2 min read
A top envoy of beleaguered Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi on Tuesday made a visit here as China for the first time tried its hand at mediation between the government and the opposition to bring about a political resolution to end the crisis in war-torn Libya.
Abdelati Obeidi,special envoy of Gaddafi made a surprise visit here. The arrival of Obeidi,who is also the foreign minister of Gaddafi government,was announced by Chinese foreign ministry spokesman,Hong Lei in the midst of a media briefing.
He would be meeting Chinese officials including Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi. Obeidis arrival came days after Chinese diplomats for the first time met Chairman of the Libyas National Transitional Council CNTMustafa Abdel Jalil,who is leading the NATO backed rebellion against Gaddafi.
It is not clear whether China had any specific proposal on hand to persuade Gaddafi to quit.
Meanwhile,Libyan ruler Muammar Gaddafi vowed to fight to the death in a defiant speech Tuesday after NATO military aircraft unleashed a series of 26 daytime airstrikes on Tripoli.
In a phone call to Libyan state television station,Gaddafi angrily denounced the rebels. We will not kneel! he shouted. We will not surrender: we only have one choice to the end! Death,victory,it does not matter,we are not surrendering!8221;
As he spoke,a military craft could be heard whooshing through Tripoli,and Gaddafi quickly hung up.
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