Foreign Secretary answers questions on Libya via Twitter
Foreign Secretary William Hague answered questions from the public on the UK's policy on Libya via Twitter on 31 August.
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Here is the full transcript:
Q. @CharlesCrawford: #Libya Many top Gaddafi bad men defected to the ‘rebels’. Are we getting Gaddafi Lite? Who controls unfrozen assets? @WilliamJHague #askFS
A. @CharlesCrawford Clear some from old regime can play a role but others must face justice #askFS #Libya
Q. @KevinBonnick: #askFS there is clearly billions of pounds of assets owned by old regime, why are we now giving them aid when the resources are there to use
A. @KevinBonnick Libya is potentially wealthy country but had years of bad gov. Assets being unfrozen but humanitarian aid needed now #askFS
Q. @el_marciano91: Why were you and previous governments happy to allow arms exports to Libya when Gaddafi was in charge? #askFS #Libya
A. @el_marciano91 I can’t speak for former govs, certainly on my watch we applied strict controls on exports to #Libya #askFS
Q. @BrynGerard: Which Western Corps. will be offered #business deals from #Libya? Has it already been carved up like the #Iraqi #Oil ? #AskFS
A. @BrynGerard Trade will be important in relations with new #Libya. But our purpose has been to support the Libyan people not win deals #askFS
Q. @lombardo187: Hope u r not just picking easy Qs. I am black & demand to know what ur govt is doing to protect fellow black people in #Libya
A. @lombardo187 #NTC urging forces not to engage in reprisals & revenge attacks & we’ve made clear #humanrights abuses shld not occur #askFS
Q. @EmilyTVCook: #askFS Why has Mugabe not been tackled? I’m sure he stoked the fire with Libya and possibly Syria and I think he’ll start on new regime!
A. @EmilyTVCook #Mugabe continues to play a malign role across #Africa, while denying Zimbabweans their rights. We urge real reform #askFS
Q. @susanfenton: #askFS Wasn’t the real purpose of the invasion of Libya to gain control of the oil, by installing an unelected puppet government?
A. @susanfenton No. purpose was to prevent Qadhafi massacring innocent people & to support a better future for #Libya #askFS
Q. @AlexNicest: @WilliamJHague #askFS how many people are estimated to have died in the Libya conflict?
A. @AlexNicest Very difficult to say. But thousands would have died at hands of Qadhafi troops had we not implemented @UN SCR 1973 #askFS
Q. @SamReeves: #askFS add to my first question: sorry I meant to ask “any indication when Britain’s embassy in Tripoli will reopen”
A. @SamReeves Our advance team is in #Tripoli already as announced on Monday & full representation will follow soon #askFS #Libya
Q. @ahcorner: @WilliamJHague to what extent is it practical to ask the NTC to atone for #Libyan crimes committed under #Gaddafi? #askFS
A. @ahcorner It is very important justice is done. #NTC has said it is committed to rule of law & will work with us on these issues #askFS
Q. @kattighe81: @WilliamJHague #askFS how can we justify spending so many millions in Libya when we have so many children living below poverty line in UK?
A. @kattighe81 money spent in #Libya to help Libyan people - cost of a catastrophe there would have been far greater #askFS
Q. @sevenscreation: #askFS with cost of British involvement in Libya as high as £250m (Telegraph tgr.ph/pszhxK) & uk economy as it is, why are we there?
A. @sevenscreation £250 million was earlier assessment by MoD. Will provide full costs to @UKParliament as soon as they’re available #askFS
Q. @GrovesMartyn: #askFS What support to encourage migrant workers back to Libya to rebuild? Many stuck in Tunisia still. How will they be protected?
A. @GrovesMartyn UK has already helped 1000s of migrant workers get home from #Libya. We will continue to work closely with the IOM. #askFS
Q. @MarkCF83THFC: @WilliamJHague #askfs What are your long and short term hopes for the people of Libya in general,and the region in particular?
A. @MarkCF83THFC We support a free, stable, open #Libya that meets needs & aspirations of its people. Hope same for other countries in region
Q. @TomStevenson_: @WilliamJHague Why was the June 16th offer of internationally monitored elections in Libya ignored? #askfs
A. @TomStevenson_ No good faith offer was ever made. Qadhafi continued to threaten & attack innocent civilians #askFS #Libya
Q. @gregsie: #askFS How sure can you be that the #LTC are not Taliban supported? They’re demonstrating a hands-off approach to the UN and other bodies
A. @gregsie Entirely right that stabilisation should be lead by #Libya. #NTC working with @UN & others & have rejected terrorism #askFS
Q. @JanzourAli @WilliamJHague following disgracefully slow response in evacuating Brit cits from Libya has there been a review into fco procedures #askFS
A. @JanzourAli Very thorough review of procedures was published in July #askFS #Libya
WilliamJHague: Thanks for all your #Libya Qs. I have to finish as due to speak to #NTC leaders now by telephone #askFS