The Informer (Monrovia)
15 June 2011
The Government of the Republic of Liberia Tuesday, June 14th, 2011, severed diplomatic relations with Libya and withdrew the Liberian Ambassador and diplomatic staff from the Libyan capital, Tripoli.
The Government of Liberia has also suspended the operations of the Libyan People’s Bureau in Monrovia and terminated diplomatic status for its diplomats who remain loyal to Colonel Muammar al-Qadhafi’s regime.
According to a Foreign Ministry press release issued in Monrovia yesterday, the Government took the decision after a careful review of the situation in Libya and determined that the Government of Colonel Qadhafi has lost the legitimacy to govern Libya.
“The violence against the Libyan people must stop,” the Liberia Government which has persistently called for peaceful settlement of the civil upheaval, said.
“As the oldest independent African Republic, Liberia has fought relentlessly for the decolonization of the Continent and for subjugated and oppressed peoples everywhere to freely exercise the right to self-determination,” the statement read.
“It is in this light that Liberia has traditionally granted recognition to independent countries and not individual governments. The expectation is that having gained freedom and independence, the people will freely choose their own government in whatever form or fashion,” the statement added.
According to the Liberian Government, the current situation in Libya does not lend itself to giving the people of that country the freedom to choose their own government and to determine the future of their own country.
“The Government of Liberia will review the decision on its diplomatic relationship with Libya after the people of Libya reach a political settlement which offers the best hope of lasting peace,” the press statement stated.
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Govt Breaks Tie With Libya