Statement by Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan on the Situation in Libya

August 26, 2011
Japanese

Japan welcomes that the new situation that has emerged in Libya with the effective collapse of the Gaddafi administration and the announcement by the National Transitional Council (NTC) including of the transfer of its headquarters to Tripoli. Japan hopes that this will lead to the early stabilization of the security situation in the country, enabling the Libyan people to work together and progress smoothly toward the creation of new Libya. Japan will continue to monitor progress closely going forward.
Japan is concerned about the battles that continue in certain parts of Libya, and demands that Muammar al-Gaddafi cease armed resistance immediately.
Japan expects that, under the roadmap presented by the NTC, a new government will be set up based on a broad consensus among the Libyan people, and that a new political process will progress promptly, leading to the creation of a constitution and the holding of democratic elections peacefully. Japan also hopes that Libya will quickly recover from the major economic damage it has suffered due to the recent conflict.
In order for the new Libyan government’s work to properly address its country’s issues, it is essential that the international community provide seamless support, from emergency humanitarian assistance to that of democratization and reconstruction. Japan intends to work together with the international community in providing such support.

(*This is a provisional translation. The above date denotes the date of the issue of the original press release in Japanese.)

(END)