Int'l organizations meeting on Libya asserts UN key role

CAIRO, June 18 (Xinhua) -- A meeting of international and regional organizations on Libya hosted by the Arab League (AL) Saturday asserted the significant role of the UN in settling the Libyan crisis.

The UN Security Council resolution on Libya is to protect the civilians and not to interfere with ground military forces, the meeting, held at the AL headquarters in the Egyptian capital of Cairo, said in a statement.

The meeting was attended by AL Secretary General Amr Moussa, UN chief Ban Ki-moon via video conference from New York, African Union Commission Chairman Jean Ping, European Union Foreign Policy Chief Catherine Ashton and UN special envoy to Libya Abdel-Elah al- Khateeb.

The statement stressed the importance of implementing the UNSC resolution 1973 in cooperation with concerned regional organizations.

The organization leaders also emphasized the importance of joint international efforts to settle the crisis, and underlined the real protection of civilians, including intensifying humanitarian aids and starting the political process in response to the Libyan people.

In a press conference after the meeting, Moussa said the ground military interference is rejected according to security council resolution, which was concerned with protecting civilians and not toppling the leadership.

"What is happening in Libya went beyond any perceptions. It is natural to search for political solutions and cease fire, then political operation followed by transition period," He added.

Answering question about the NATO attacks against the civilians in Libya, Ashton said NATO operations are within the framework of the conditions of UN resolutions.

Saturday's meeting was the second of its kind, and the first meeting was held on April 14.

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