NATO calls for political solution to Libyan crisis

Xinhua, July 14, 2011

NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said on Wednesday that it's time to find political solution on Libyan issue.

The political solution should be "led by Libyans, supported by the international community, and fulfilling the legitimate demands of the Libyan people -- as the United Nations Security Council demanded," he said in a statement.

"The time to find a solution is now," he said.

Rasmussen made the remarks following a meeting with the delegation of the Libyan Transitional National Council, headed by its diplomatic chief Mahmoud Jibril.

However, Rasmussen insisted NATO's operations to protect civilians would continue.

"Gadhafi's forces are still threatening innocent people. And as long as that threat continues, we must continue to deal with it. The Gadhafi regime has lost all legitimacy," he said.

In the informal meeting, NATO officials and Libyan opposition delegation "discussed the way forward in Libya." According to the NATO statement, the Libyan delegation briefed the alliance their vision on Libya's future.