Editor in Chief: Moh. Reza Huwaida Friday, March 29th, 2024

EU Welcomes New Aid Project to Libyan Opposition: Ashton

EU Welcomes New  Aid Project to Libyan Opposition: Ashton

BRUSSELS - European Union (EU) foreign policy Chief Catherine Ashton said Thursday the EU welcomed the new aid project to Libyan opposition.
An international meeting on Libya agreed on Thursday in Rome to set up a new fund to aid Libyan opposition. The aid was expected to be founded by tapping frozen assets of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's government.

But doubts came from the officials attending the meeting of the Contact Group on Libya that the unfreezing of Libyan assets for humanitarian purposes might be held up by the legal issues in Europe and the United States.
"We welcome the establishment of the Temporary Financial Mechanism to provide financial support to opposition groups in Libya," said Ashton after the meeting, adding "We will work to ensure that this fund is carefully managed to ensure that the money is put to the best possible use, with sound rules, transparency and proper accountability."

The EU and the United States have reportedly frozen a total of some 60 billion U.S. dollars' assets in Libyan overseas bank accounts and investments.
Ashton said the EU "will intensify the pressure on the Gaddafi regime as part of our responsibility to protect the Libyan population." (Xinhua)