International reactions to the 2011 military intervention in Libya

The international reactions to the 2011 military intervention in Libya were the responses to the military intervention in Libya by NATO and allied forces to impose a no-fly zone. The intervention was authorized by United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973, approved in New York on 17 March, in response to the Libyan Civil War, though some governments allege participants in the operation exceeded their mandate.

Overall response from governments was generally split between strong opposition and conditional support for the intervention.

Supranational African Union – A committee of officials representing five member states — Mali, Mauritania, the Republic of the Congo, South Africa, and Uganda — was denied entry to Libya after the UN Security Council voted to establish a no-fly zone over the country. The ad hoc panel demanded an immediate end to the attacks on Libya. – The Secretary General of the Arab League, Amr Moussa, on 20 March said that the Arab League had wanted "the protection of civilians and not the shelling of more civilians",Arab League condemns broad Western bombing campaign in Libya Washington Post, 20 March 2011 but on 21 March reiterated his support for the operation,Arab League chief says he respects U.N. resolution Reuters, 21 March 2011 something that is in accordance with what he said on 20 March, concerning the civilian casualties caused by the foreign intervention. – The secretary-general of the GCC strongly endorsed the use of international force in Libya on 21 March, lauding coalition forces for "protecting the people from bloodshed". GCC member state Qatar is joining coalition efforts to enforce the no-fly zone. Intergovernmental Authority on Development - The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) described the military intervention in Libya as an open invitation to terrorists. IGAD said, "Our fear is that what is happening now in Libya may motivate terrorist groups in Somalia, Afghanistan and Iraq to regroup on African soil.".The consensus on intervention in Libya has shattered,

Governments

Arab World – The Movement of Society for Peace, a Muslim Brotherhood-linked pro-government party in Algiers, called upon the coalition to halt military strikes against targets in Libya and urged the Arab League to affirm a "crystal clear and frank position on the side of the Libyan people". At a press conference after meeting with President Abdulaziz Bouteflika, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that Russia and Algeria both oppose the international intervention in Libya on principle. On 21 March, Algerian Foreign Minister Mourad Medelci said his government believes "this intervention to be disproportionate in relation to the objective set out by the United Nations Security Council resolution" and demanded "an immediate cessation of hostilities and foreign intervention." – After the UN Security Council voted to establish a Libyan no-fly zone, Egypt declined to join in enforcement, despite having the largest military in the Arab League and voting with that body to endorse the no-fly zone's creation. Foreign Minister Nabil Elaraby said Egypt was choosing to stay out of the conflict due to the large number of Egyptian nationals in Libya. Presidential candidate Amr Moussa, the head of the Arab League, described airstrikes against Gaddafi's military in support of the UN mandate as "bombardment of civilians ... [that] led to the deaths and injuries of many Libyan civilians" and said he intended to call an emergency meeting of the Arab League, multiple members of which are now involved in enforcing the no-fly zone, to respond to the situation. Namibian press reported in early April that Egyptian embassy officials in Windhoek had indicated the Egyptian government's support for the resolution provided it led to the protection of civilians and the promotion of democracy. – A spokesman for the Iraqi government told Reuters on 21 March that Baghdad backs the military intervention that followed "to protect the Libyan people". Powerful Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, however, criticized both the international action and the Gaddafi regime, saying the government in Tripoli should relinquish power but warning that airstrikes could cause civilian casualties. – The government was party to an international summit on 19 March in Paris to weigh military intervention in Libya after the UN Security Council voted to create a no-fly zone over the country, but a government spokesman said Jordan's armed forces would not be involved in enforcing the UN mandate. On 4 April, two Royal Jordanian Air Force fighter jets arrived at a military airbase in the European Union to support the coalition. Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh said they would provide "logistical support" and help escort Jordanian transports making use of the humanitarian corridor to deliver aid and supplies. Judeh also said his government was prepared to "pursue efforts at all levels" to help protect civilians and end the crisis. – The government approved of the creation of the no-fly zone. UK Prime Minister David Cameron announced Kuwait would be making a "logistical contribution" to international military efforts in Libya. – Lebanon introduced and voted for United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973, claiming to act on behalf of the Arab League. – President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz condemned international intervention in Libya after France, the United States, and the United Kingdom spearheaded airstrikes against Gaddafi's forces in support of a UN mandate. – The government was party to international talks in Paris on 19 March to discuss how to implement the UN mandate in Libya after the UN Security Council voted for a no-fly zone. After meeting with an envoy from Gaddafi's government, Foreign Minister Taieb Fassi Fihri said on 18 April, "Morocco considers that ... the solution can not be military. It can only be political, forward-looking and allowing the Libyan people to democratically determine their future." Fihri also said that his government participated in recent conferences with members of the international coalition and allies, including the Paris summit, to help honor its "commitment to full respect for Libya's territorial integrity and national unity". – The government confirmed it was dispatching Qatar Emiri Air Force fighter jets to Libya on 20 March. "Qatar will take part in the military operation out of belief in the need for Arab states to contribute, for the situation has become unbearable in Libya", Emir Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani said. – The government is reportedly allowing coalition airplanes to traverse Sudanese airspace during operations in Libya. – The post-revolution government of Tunisia declined to join international military operations in Libya, with a spokesman saying it was "out of the question". – The United Arab Emirates Air Force was to be involved in enforcing the no-fly zone, but the government opted to narrow its mission to providing humanitarian aid before reversing itself and sending 12 fighter jets to the Mediterranean to support international efforts. On 20 April, Al Arabiya reported that the government called for more airstrikes, insisting that Gaddafi must leave Libya and would not do so peacefully.

Middle East

– An official in the office of President Ilham Aliyev recommended that the government formally approve of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973, saying, "Ensuring the security of civilians in Libya is, of course, an important issue", though he complained that the UN was acting swiftly to stop Gaddafi's alleged crimes but was not making the same effort to enforce resolutions on Nagorno-Karabakh that the Azerbaijani government contends its neighbor Armenia has violated. – The United Kingdom is making use of its military bases in Cyprus to support coalition forces enforcing the naval blockade and no-fly zone in the Libyan theater. President Dimitris Christofias said his government does not support the intervention and is unhappy over the UK making use of the bases, though he acknowledged the UK has the legal right to do so, as they lie within its overseas territory of Akrotiri and Dhekelia on the island. Christofias has previously expressed his desire to see the British military presence removed from Cyprus. – On 21 March, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei accused the West of having "come after Libyan oil". He also stressed that "Iran utterly condemns the behaviour of the Libyan government against its people, the killings and pressure on people, and the bombing of its cities... but it (also) condemns the military action in Libya". Khamenei stated that he support sending mediators rather than bombing the country. – Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said, "Western intervention in Libya will have a positive ripple effect in Iran and elsewhere in the region". Netanyahu also said "I would expect that the world put similar pressure on Iran. Iran is at least equal to Libya, and I believe that its importance is even greater." However, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman suggested Israel should keep its distance from the Libyan opposition, while the Deputy Minister for the Development of Negev and the Galilee Ayoob Kara conducted talks with the Libyan government, represented by Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, for Israel to lobby the United States against intervention in exchange for the establishment of official relations and for Libyan assistance in the release of a Hamas captive. The negotiations continued until the opposition took control of Tripoli. – After initially opposing international intervention in Libya, on 20 March, the Foreign Ministry released a statement after the UN Security Council voted to impose a no-fly zone over the North African state saying "Turkey will make the necessary and appropriate national contribution on grounds that the operation will protect the interest of the Libyan people ... and provide them salvation". Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, who leads the opposition Republican People's Party, endorsed international military action in Libya, saying, "If the United Nations has passed such a resolution, then this [operation] has gained international legitimacy", and praising Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's shift toward supporting the no-fly zone and other measures. On 21 March, Turkey's representative to NATO blocked the alliance, many members of which have already deployed forces to the Mediterranean for action in Libya, from formally joining enforcement of the Libyan no-fly zone, though Turkey voted along with the rest of NATO members for enforcement of a less controversial arms embargo. A deal was ultimately reached through intensive negotiations between Ankara, London, Paris, and Washington for NATO to assume responsibility for the no-fly zone as well.

Sub-Saharan Africa

- Angolan Foreign Affairs Minister, Georges Chikoti, said on 29 March 2011 in Luanda, that the Angolan Government defends dialogue for the resolution of the Libyan deadlock instead of a military intervention. Speaking to the press about the current international matters, the minister said that any military intervention may contribute to the worsening of the problem. According to him, this military intervention method may not be considered as a standard to solve problems in Africa. In addition, the official recalled that the situation started with demonstrations, which were repressed violently by Libyan authorities, a situation that must be slammed by the international community. He said that with the emergence of armed rebels the country dived in a kind of civil war.(Republic of Angola (Xyami) blogspot, 29 March 2011)