Gheddafi Claims Italy Will Deny NATO Bases for US Attacks on Libya
Condition in article four of Italian-Libyan friendship treaty signed on Saturday by Silvio Berlusconi. Prime Minister’s Office replies.
ROME - Italy will not give the country’s NATO bases to the Americans for any future US attacks on Libya. The claim was made by Libyan leader Muammar Gheddafi during a speech given at Benghazi on Sunday but whose text was published by the Libyan press agency Jana only on Tuesday. According to Mr Gheddafi, Italy has agreed not to allow bases on Italian territory to be used in case of an attack against Libya, in compliance with article four of the Italian-Libyan friendship and co-operation treaty signed last Saturday by the Italian premier, Silvio Berlusconi.
BACKGROUND – Mr Gheddafi said that “lengthy discussions” had been required because Italy only wanted to commit to “refraining from attacks on Libya” while Libyan negotiators insisted that this was insufficient “because the 1986 attack originated in Italy”. The Libyans wanted reassurance, said Mr Gheddafi, that “neither America nor NATO would use bases in Italy against Libya”. Italy finally accepted the condition after threatening not to sign the agreement and warning that relations between the two countries would be “hostile”, said Mr Gheddafi, according to the Jana press release.
ARTICLE FOUR – According to the Libyan leader, the formula agreed for article four of the treaty was: “In respect of principles of international legitimacy, Italy will not use or allow the use of its territories in any aggression against Libya and Libya will not use or allow the use of its territories in any hostile action against Italy”.
Comments
Add comment