Violence is madness, says Gadaffi

Press, 10 January 1986, Page 6

Violence is madness, says Gadaffi

NZPA-Reuter Tripoli

The Libyan leader, Colonel Muammar Gadaffi, summoned west European ambassadors yesterday to discuss President Reagan’s trade embargo against Libya and offered better cooperation on various matters including terrorism, said a Western diplomat. Colonel Gadaffi told the meeting that a way had to be found to solve problems through discussion without violence, “because violence is an act of madness”.

The diplomat quoted Colonel Gadaffi as saying Libya supported the Palestine Liberation Organisation, but some Palestinian guerrillas had acted illegally because their rights were not recognised. Libya did not support such actions, he said. Colonel Gadaffi said he would be ready to urge Palestinian guerrillas to concentrate their struggle in “occupied” areas. The diplomat also reported Colonel Gadaffi as saying he would be willing to extradite on request any guerrillas in Libya belonging, for example, to the Red Brigade or Japanese Red Army. But he would ask'

that other Governments reciprocate and hand over anyone wanted by Libya. Earlier, Libyan State television said Colonel Gadaffi outlined Libyan-European relations and the common interests shared by his country and western Europe. He emphasised to the envoys “the need to maintain the security and continuity of relations between them”.

The meeting, held as west Europe came under pressure from Washington to join in a trade boycott of Libya, came after a series of telephone calls Colonel Gadaffi made to leaders of several Arab countries, the television said.

Libya is seeking increased support from the 45-mem-ber Islamic Conference Organisation, according to diplomats.

Arab Foreign Ministers at an 1.C.0. meeting in Fez, Morocco, had talks about the Libyan situation yesterday.

The conference had already adopted a declaration which talks in general terms of active support and firm solidarity in the face of threats levelled at Libya. President Reagan sent a message to the conference which, the sources said,

gave the reasons for the embargo and dealt with United States relations with the Muslim world.

President Reagan yesterday froze all Libyan Government assets in the United States as a precaution against reaction to his economic boycott.

“The order freezes Libyan' Government assets held in United States banks and their branches overseas,” a senior Reagan Administration official said.

Mr Reagan, tightening a new economic squeeze on Libya announced on Wednesday in retaliation for alleged Libyan support. of Palestinian guerrilla attacks at Rome and Vienna airports last month, said the order would be effective immediately.

The senior official would not put an exact value on Libyan assets in the United States but said they were in the range of hundreds of millions of dollars.

He emphasised the order was “a freeze, not a seizure.”

“The order was signed as a precaution against Libyan reaction that would place in jeopardy United States assets in Libya,” he said.

He described the actions against Libya as one of the toughest sets of sanctions imposed by the Reagan Administration. The Administration said it would hit back hard if more Americans were killed by terrorists and released a “white paper” alleging Libyan support for bombings, hijackings and assassinations.

Spokesmen at the White House and State Department emphasised that the United States was prepared to go beyond the sanctions. “I can assure you that if Gadaffi strikes again and Americans are involved (killed), the United States will be prepared to hunt down and take drastic action against those responsible. If we can find them, we will get them,” said a White House spokesman, Mr Larry Speakes. Mr Reagan called Colonel Gadaffi “a barbarian” and “a pariah.”