MEPs urge EU to recognise rebel Libyan Council as official, back ‘no-fly zone’

In a European Parliament plenary session on Thursday, MEPs called on High Representative Ashton to recognise the Interim Libyan National Council as officially representing the Libyan opposition.

The resolution, by all political groups, also calls on EU Member States to "stand ready" for a UN-mandated no-fly zone over Libya, to prevent the Gaddafi regime targeting the population, and to help repatriate or resettle migrants fleeing the growing violence there.

"EU governments need to stand ready for a decision in the UN Security Council on further measures, including the possibility of a no-fly zone", in compliance with a UN mandate and coordination with the Arab League and the African Union stressed MEPs in a widely-backed resolution (584 in favour, 18 against, 18 abstentions).  Only the GUE/NGL group opposed the resolution.

MEPs also called on the EU High Representative Catherine Ashton to "establish relations" with the rebels' representatives in the Interim Transitional National Council and "to start the process to make them official".

During the sitting, the European Parliament also condemned "in the strongest terms the blatant and systematic violations of human rights in Libya" by Muammar Gaddafi's regime and called upon him to step down immediately.

Migration and humanitarian assistance

Reacting to growing humanitarian crisis, Parliament also appealed to the EU and Member States "to supply air and maritime transportation to help repatriate or resettle migrants, asylum seekers and refugees" from the country.

They also called on member states to offer the necessary assistance to the people crossing to Tunisia and helping with their repatriation to their home countries, in line with the International Organization for Migration's appeal.

Following requests by Italian and Maltese MEPs - despite initial reluctance by other national delegations - the resolution also calls for the principle of solidarity and shared responsibility (as established by the Lisbon Treaty) to be applied to border control.

The European Commission should have ready all the necessary "financial, human and technical resources" to assist EU border countries in the event of a mass migratory movement, MEPs maintained.

Human rights

The MEPs also condemned the human rights violations committed in Libya, and pointed out that some may be even crimes against humanity. They called "the dispatching of an independent international commission of inquiry to Libya".

They also welcomed the United Nations General Assembly's recent unanimous decision to suspend Libya from the UN Human Rights Councilin a separate resolution.

Adding to their recommendations on the no-fly zone and on how to handle migration, MEPs also proposed that EU governments take the following further steps at Friday's extraordinary Council meeting.

These include a freeze on funds managed by the Libyan Investment Authority and the proceeds of oil and gas sales in the asset freeze imposed by the EU on the Gaddafi regime.

Illegally-acquired assets must be investigated and returned to the Libyan people, they argued.