By Ahmed Elumami.
Tripoli, 7 May 2013:
Mohamed Barghathi has withdrawn his resignation as Defence Minister following calls by the Prime Minister and . . .[restrict]military leaders to remain in office.
He resigned earlier today over the sieges of the Foreign and Justice Ministries by militiamen. He called their actions “an assault on democracy”
A statement from the Prime Minister’s office read: “The resignation has not been formally given to the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister has asked the Defence Minister to withdraw it and he has confirmed that he will continue his work and expressed his understanding of the present circumstances in the country.”
In a statement issued this afternoon, Libya’s military leaders had called on the Prime Minister and members of Congress to refuse Barghathi’s resignation in order “to protect the unity of the armed forces and the stability of the country”.
Presenting their views at a press conference at the offices of Congress, the head of air defences, Brigadier-General Juma Hussein El-Abani, said that Barghathi was needed in place to help protect Libya “in the present exceptional circumstances and the security threats from outside Libya”.
There are questions as to whether Barghathi would have to be replaced in any event because of the Political Isolation Law.
Officials report Barghathi exhausted by today’s chain of events. [/restrict]
