Libyan defector Moussa Koussa has urged all sides in the conflict to stop his country becoming "a new Somalia".
The high-profile former minister spoke publicly for the first time since fleeing the crisis-torn country for the UK.
In a prepared statement to the BBC, he said: "I ask everybody, all the parties, to avoid taking Libya into a civil war.
"This would lead to so much blood and Libya will be a new Somalia."
Mr Koussa added: "More than that, we refuse to divide Libya.
"The unity of Libya is essential to any solution and settlement for Libya."
Mr Koussa quit his position as Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's foreign minister and arrived in the UK on March 30.
His decision was seen as a heavy blow to the Libyan leader's regime.
Mr Koussa is believed to have been an intelligence officer at the time of the 1988 Lockerbie bombing.
In his statement, which did not directly criticise Gaddafi, he continued: "The solution in Libya will come from the Libyans themselves, and through discussion and democratic dialogue."
Mr Koussa made the comments in Arabic, which was translated for the broadcast.
The BBC said the interview took place in a secret location in central London.
His comments came after Libyan rebels, backed by European leaders, rejected a ceasefire proposal by African Union mediators because it did not insist that Gaddafi relinquish power.
A day after assurances that the dictator had accepted the truce, his forces reportedly battered rebel-held Misrata and its Mediterranean port with artillery fire that left six people dead.
In his statement, Mr Koussa said he had been "devoted" to his work for 30 years under Gaddafi and was confident that it was serving the Libyan people.
But, he said, after recent events "things changed and I couldn't continue".
"I know that what I did to resign will cause me problems, but I'm ready to make that sacrifice for the sake of my country," he added.
He said he came to the UK because he had "respect" for the people there, adding: "The people have historic relations with the Libyan people and we look to them as a friendly people, they are our friends."
Meanwhile, protesters in Benghazi said they had little faith in the AU mediators.
South African president Jacob Zuma led the group, whose other key participants were the leaders of Mali, Mauritania, Republic of Congo and Uganda.
The AU sought a suspension of three weeks of international airstrikes that have prevented Gaddafi's forces from overpowering the vastly weaker rebel forces.
Anders Fogh Rasmussen, secretary general of Nato, which took over control of the international air operation from the US, welcomed any efforts to resolve the conflict.
He said there could be no "solely military solution" to the crisis.
With reports that dozens have been killed in Misrata, and food and medical supplies scarce, Libya's social affairs minister Ibrahim al-Sharif said international humanitarian aid was welcome.
But he told reporters: "If it comes with a military face then we won't accept it. It's basically a declaration of war."
No comments:
Post a Comment