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By Sami Zaptia.
Tripoli, 31 March 2013:
As the regular press room was being renovated, not for the first time, members of the . . .[restrict]press corps had the honour of being seated in the cabinet room for this week’s press conference.
Prime Minister Ali Zeidan revealed that his government had just finished an ordinary cabinet meeting and called this routine press conference to update the Libyan public on the affairs of the nation – especially as there was no press conference last week.
Zeidan was accompanied by the Ministers of Interior, Foreign Affairs, Justice, Health and the Chief of Staff.
Salute to the supporters of legitimacy
He opened by thanking the Libyan public across the nation for coming out in their various way in total support of the legitimacy of the state and its organs in the guise of the temporary government and the GNC. “I salute you…we assure you we will impose the sovereignty of the legitimate state…we will continue despite the pressures we face”, the Prime Minister added.
Condemnation of rape and terrorism
Zeidan paid tribute to the soldiers killed in yesterday’s “terrorist” attack on the Tamarhind airbase in the south of Libya. These “fell in line of duty defending the borders of the nation” he said, in an attack carried out by “smugglers”.
The Prime Minister (as well as the Justice Minister) equally condemned the attack on the British family and the rape of one of their female members. The law will take its course he assured.
Arab league offered support
Foreign Minister Abdelaziz gave a roundup of the recent Arab League conference in Doha and assured of the support offered by it to Libya, including helping it return its lost assets and those it seeks to face justice. He singled out Qatar and the UAE who offered help on all levels.
Asked by reporters why was it taking so long to return assets from Egypt, Prime Minister Zeidan replied that it was not taking too long and that he was not worried. It was a normal due legal process he said and Egypt was cooperating.
Asked which state had received the Qaddafi family and whether that state would participate in the re-building of Libya, Zeidan hesitated and attempted to avoid naming the state. When pressed he confirmed Oman, but added that it was not participating in Libya’s re-building process. However, he added that Libya was talking to Oman. [/restrict]
