Foreign Minister Says Libya Declaring Cease-Fire | WPN World People News

Libya's foreign minister announced an immediate cease-fire Friday, less than a day after the U.N. Security Council adopted a resolution authorizing "all necessary measures" to protect the Libyan people.

Libyan rebels celebrate in Benghazi on Thursday after the United Nations Security Council passed a resolution to impose a no-fly zone over Libya.

Foreign Minister Moussa Koussa said his country is committed to accepting the terms of the U.N. resolution, a reversal from the initial defiance displayed by Moammar Gadhafi's regime. His government initially closed Libya's airspace to all traffic while the West made plans to enforce a no-fly zone and prevent his forces from attacking rebels.

Western officials expressed some skepticism about the announcement. It was not immediately clear whether the Gadhafi regime was seeking to buy time by eliminating the conditions that would authorize use of outside force under the terms of the Security Council resolution.

Mustafa Gheriani, a spokesman for the national opposition council based in Benghazi, said there was "no cease-fire."

Gheriani said regime forces are shelling the eastern city of Ajdabiya and Misrata, the last rebel-held city in the western half of the country.

The Libyan regime will have to be judged by its deeds, not its words, British Prime Minister David Cameron told the BBC. French officials said that the facts on the ground have not changed.

President Obama is expected to address the Libyan situation Friday afternoon.

The Security Council resolution was approved late Thursday with the backing of the United States, France and Britain, hours after Gadhafi vowed to launch a final assault and crush the nearly five-week-old rebellion against him.

The Libyan regime appeared to have been caught by surprise by the speed with which the resolution was approved after weeks of discussion.

"As always, the regime was not very good at reading signals," says Dirk Vandewalle, a Dartmouth College government professor. "They should have started worrying as soon as the Arab League decided to support intervention."

Mustafa Gheriani, a spokesman for the national opposition council based in Benghazi, said there was "no cease-fire."

Gheriani said regime forces are shelling the eastern city of Ajdabiya and Misrata, the last rebel-held city in the western half of the country.

The Libyan regime will have to be judged by its deeds, not its words, British Prime Minister David Cameron told the BBC. French officials said that the facts on the ground have not changed.

President Obama is expected to address the Libyan situation Friday afternoon.

The Security Council resolution was approved late Thursday with the backing of the United States, France and Britain, hours after Gadhafi vowed to launch a final assault and crush the nearly five-week-old rebellion against him.

The Libyan regime appeared to have been caught by surprise by the speed with which the resolution was approved after weeks of discussion.

"As always, the regime was not very good at reading signals," says Dirk Vandewalle, a Dartmouth College government professor. "They should have started worrying as soon as the Arab League decided to support intervention."

Source: NPR