Libya – United Kingdom relations
Encyclopedia
Libya–United Kingdom relations are bilateral relations between Libya
and the United Kingdom
.
's 1969 coup were generally very poor, punctuated by events such as the shooting of Yvonne Fletcher
, the 1986 U.S. bombing of Libya and the destruction of Pan Am Flight 103
. Relations improved during the 1990s, and peaked in December 2003, when Libya announced that they would abandon their weapons of mass destruction
programmes. UK Prime Minister
Tony Blair
travelled to Tripoli
, met with Gaddafi and declared a "new relationship" between the countries.
broke out, and the UK joined France
in leading the push for military intervention
against Libyan government forces. The United Nations
approved and, in March, the UK joined a coalition of 20 states in a bombing campaign against Libya
and UK Prime Minister David Cameron
called for Gaddafi, as well as members of his regime, to resign immediately. The UK also formally recognised the rebel National Transitional Council
(NTC) as the government of Libya, inviting the NTC to nominate an ambassador and other diplomats after the expulsion of the Gaddafi regime's ambassador, Omar Jelban, in May 2011. The remaining diplomats were expelled in July and August 2011. The United Kingdom now regards NTC as the "legitimate governing authority in Libya" and deals with it as if it "were the state of Libya". On 10 August 2011, the Foreign Secretary William Hague
announced that NTC was staffing the Libyan Embassy in London.
The British Foreign Office announced that its investigation into the 1986 Lockerbie bombing remained open as of 26 September 2011 and said it had received the NTC's assurances that it would cooperate with Scotland Yard
in the effort, but later the same day, interim Libyan Justice Minister Mohammad al-Alagi said the case was closed and no further suspects would be implicated by Libya.
that took place in English
cities in August 2011, Gaddafi regime Deputy Foreign Minister Khaled Kaim
urged British Prime Minister David Cameron to step down stating that "David Cameron has lost all legitimacy and must go", mockingly echoing the comments made by Cameron about Gaddafi. The statement also called on world governments to take action against the "gross aggression against the rights of the British people, who are demanding its right to rule its country". Mr Kaim then appealed to the UN to "not stay with its arms crossed in the face of the flagrant violation of the rights of the British people."
Libyan state TV reported false claims that the British government was using Irish and Scottish mercenaries against rioters which were referred to as the "rebels of Britain". The use of foreign merceneries by the Gaddafi regime is well documented by the international media and acknowledged by defectors.
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
and the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
Gaddafi-led regime
Relations after Muammar GaddafiMuammar Gaddafi
Muammar Muhammad Abu Minyar Gaddafi or "September 1942" 20 October 2011), commonly known as Muammar Gaddafi or Colonel Gaddafi, was the official ruler of the Libyan Arab Republic from 1969 to 1977 and then the "Brother Leader" of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya from 1977 to 2011.He seized power in a...
's 1969 coup were generally very poor, punctuated by events such as the shooting of Yvonne Fletcher
Yvonne Fletcher
WPC Yvonne Joyce Fletcher was a British police officer fatally shot during a protest outside the Libyan embassy at St. James's Square, London, in 1984. Fletcher, who had been on duty and deployed to police the protest, died shortly afterwards at Westminster Hospital...
, the 1986 U.S. bombing of Libya and the destruction of Pan Am Flight 103
Pan Am Flight 103
Pan Am Flight 103 was Pan American World Airways' third daily scheduled transatlantic flight from London Heathrow Airport to New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport...
. Relations improved during the 1990s, and peaked in December 2003, when Libya announced that they would abandon their weapons of mass destruction
Weapons of mass destruction
A weapon of mass destruction is a weapon that can kill and bring significant harm to a large number of humans and/or cause great damage to man-made structures , natural structures , or the biosphere in general...
programmes. UK Prime Minister
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
Tony Blair
Tony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
travelled to Tripoli
Tripoli
Tripoli is the capital and largest city in Libya. It is also known as Western Tripoli , to distinguish it from Tripoli, Lebanon. It is affectionately called The Mermaid of the Mediterranean , describing its turquoise waters and its whitewashed buildings. Tripoli is a Greek name that means "Three...
, met with Gaddafi and declared a "new relationship" between the countries.
British intervention in Libya and recognition of the National Transitional Council
In February 2011, the Libyan civil war2011 Libyan civil war
The 2011 Libyan civil war was an armed conflict in the North African state of Libya, fought between forces loyal to Colonel Muammar Gaddafi and those seeking to oust his government. The war was preceded by protests in Benghazi beginning on 15 February 2011, which led to clashes with security...
broke out, and the UK joined France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in leading the push for military intervention
Humanitarian intervention
Humanitarian intervention "refers to a state using military force against another state when the chief publicly declared aim of that military action is ending human-rights violations being perpetrated by the state against which it is directed."...
against Libyan government forces. The United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
approved and, in March, the UK joined a coalition of 20 states in a bombing campaign against Libya
2011 military intervention in Libya
On 19 March 2011, a multi-state coalition began a military intervention in Libya to implement United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973, which was taken in response to events during the 2011 Libyan civil war...
and UK Prime Minister David Cameron
David Cameron
David William Donald Cameron is the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service and Leader of the Conservative Party. Cameron represents Witney as its Member of Parliament ....
called for Gaddafi, as well as members of his regime, to resign immediately. The UK also formally recognised the rebel National Transitional Council
National Transitional Council
The National Transitional Council of Libya , sometimes known as the Transitional National Council, the Interim National Council, or the Libyan National Council,...
(NTC) as the government of Libya, inviting the NTC to nominate an ambassador and other diplomats after the expulsion of the Gaddafi regime's ambassador, Omar Jelban, in May 2011. The remaining diplomats were expelled in July and August 2011. The United Kingdom now regards NTC as the "legitimate governing authority in Libya" and deals with it as if it "were the state of Libya". On 10 August 2011, the Foreign Secretary William Hague
William Hague
William Jefferson Hague is the British Foreign Secretary and First Secretary of State. He served as Leader of the Conservative Party from June 1997 to September 2001...
announced that NTC was staffing the Libyan Embassy in London.
The British Foreign Office announced that its investigation into the 1986 Lockerbie bombing remained open as of 26 September 2011 and said it had received the NTC's assurances that it would cooperate with Scotland Yard
Scotland Yard
Scotland Yard is a metonym for the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police Service of London, UK. It derives from the location of the original Metropolitan Police headquarters at 4 Whitehall Place, which had a rear entrance on a street called Great Scotland Yard. The Scotland Yard entrance became...
in the effort, but later the same day, interim Libyan Justice Minister Mohammad al-Alagi said the case was closed and no further suspects would be implicated by Libya.
Gaddafi regime reactions to the 2011 England riots
In response to the rioting events2011 England riots
Between 6 and 10 August 2011, several London boroughs and districts of cities and towns across England suffered widespread rioting, looting and arson....
that took place in English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
cities in August 2011, Gaddafi regime Deputy Foreign Minister Khaled Kaim
Khaled Kaim
Khaled Kaim is the Deputy Foreign Minister of Libya. On 5 September 2011, it was reported that he has been arrested in Tripoli.-References:...
urged British Prime Minister David Cameron to step down stating that "David Cameron has lost all legitimacy and must go", mockingly echoing the comments made by Cameron about Gaddafi. The statement also called on world governments to take action against the "gross aggression against the rights of the British people, who are demanding its right to rule its country". Mr Kaim then appealed to the UN to "not stay with its arms crossed in the face of the flagrant violation of the rights of the British people."
Libyan state TV reported false claims that the British government was using Irish and Scottish mercenaries against rioters which were referred to as the "rebels of Britain". The use of foreign merceneries by the Gaddafi regime is well documented by the international media and acknowledged by defectors.