China calls for an end to Libya fighting

China calls for an end to Libya fighting

China has again called for an end to fighting in Libya, saying it has "always opposed" any action not authorised by the UN Security Council.

The call came after Libya said Muammar Gaddafi's youngest son and three grandchildren were killed in a NATO airstrike.

China’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Jiang Yu, who made the call on Monday, in a statement on the website, said that there was need for all parties to cease fire immediately and solve the current crisis in a peaceful way through dialogue and negotiation.

Rising concern

She added that China was concerned about the rising number of civilian casualties from the conflict.

The deaths of Gaddafi's family members are sensitive as they will likely feed accusations that NATO has over-stepped its UN mandate to protect Libyan civilians.

Libyan officials have said that the deaths were part of an attempt to assassinate Gaddafi.

China's government has been critical of the West's airstrikes on Libya from the start, having abstained from a UN Security Council vote that authorised intervention.

Some analysts said China's strident opposition arises in part from a fear that it may someday see its own power challenged by demands for human rights and democracy.

Libya battle

Gaddafi, who is fighting a rebellion against his authoritarian rule, has pressed an offensive against rebel forces after his son was killed, with his supporters burning Western embassies in Tripoli.

Funerals were expected to be held on Monday, an occasion that might bring an awaited appearance or declaration by Gaddafi who authorities say was in the Tripoli house when it was destroyed by at least three missiles late on Saturday.

Gaddafi, fighting a rebellion against his authoritarian 41-year rule since mid-February, has not been seen in public since the attack, though a spokesman said he was unhurt. His son Saif al-Arab, 29, was killed with three young grandchildren.

The embassies of Britain and Italy were attacked and burnt, along with the US commercial and consular affairs department after Gaddafi loyalists were shown on Libyan television vowing vengeance.

The buildings had been vacated weeks earlier.

Deputy Foreign Minister Khaled Kaim said the strikes were a fourth attempt to assassinate Gaddafi.

He denied allegations in some media that the deaths had been fabricated to discredit NATO.

Any appearance of an assassination attempt against Gaddafi is likely to lead to accusations that the British and French-led strikes are exceeding the UN mandate to protect civilians.

REUTERS/Williams