Friday, March 7, 2014

Libya Is Sliding Towards Chaos

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry shakes hands with Libyan Prime Minister Ali Zeidan at the Conference on International Support to Libya in Rome March 6, 2014. Credit: Reuters/Kevin Lamarque

Western Countries Alarmed As Libya Slides Towards Chaos -- Reuters

(Reuters) - Western countries voiced concern on Thursday that tensions in Libya could slip out of control in the absence of a functioning political system, and they urged the government and rival factions to start talking.

Two-and-a-half years after the fall of former leader Muammar Gaddafi, the oil-rich North African state is struggling to contain violence between rival forces, with Islamist militants gaining an ever-stronger grip on the south of the country.

"The situation in Libya is very worrying," French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius told reporters on the margins of a conference in Rome to discuss the Libyan crisis.

Read more ....

More News On The Growing Instability In Libya

World diplomats seek to stabilize Libya -- AP
Foreign Minister attends meet on support for Libya -- Gulf Times
Kerry, Lavrov in Rome for international conference on Libya -- LSE
West warns Libya instability hampering aid efforts -- Global Post/AFP
NATO reaffirms commitment to assist Libya at Rome Conference -- ANTO

My Comment: Libya has enormous oil reserves .... and a captive market in Europe to buy it. If they can get their act together .... and with time .... this crisis will pass. If not .... expect factional fighting, even more chaos, and the possibility that international military forces (UN or EU) will intervene to stabilize the situation.

No comments: