Gaddafi vows to fight on


China.org.cn, March 23, 2011

Libyan leader Mouammar Gaddafi vowed to fight on, while Western countries were trying to create a new body to take over the lead in the current military operation in Libya, Xinhua reported.

A rebel fighter looks at burning vehicles belonging to forces loyal to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi after an air strike by coalition forces, along a road between Benghazi and Ajdabiyah March 20, 2011. [Xinhua]

Gaddafi made his first public appearance late Tuesday in a week at a balcony near the Libyan capital of Tripolibefore a crowd of supporters at his residence compound, according to Xinhua.

The TV footage showed Gadhafi making a short live address to his supporters. "Be it long or short, we're ready for battle," he said."We will be victorious in the end."

Gaddafi vowed not to surrender, saying "We will defeat them by any means," according to the live broadcast.

Gaddafi also condemned the air raids carried out by the western powers against his country, claiming that the attacks breached the charter of the United Nations.

He also warned that those attackers were fascists who "will end up in the dustbin of history," according to Reuter reports.

U.S. and European-led military strikes bombed Tripoli again several hours earlier. The explosions started at around 8:30 p.m. local time (1830 GMT) and the targeted sites remained unknown, Xinhua reported.

But when Gaddafi maintained confident in grabbing the final victory in the confrontation, the Western forces seemed also determined in their aligned mission.

China calls for ceasefire in Libya

China is once again calling for an immediate ceasefire by all relevant parties in Libya and to resolve the issue in a peaceful manner, Xinhua reported on Wednesday.

Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Jiang Yu says China supports the diplomatic efforts of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, the African Union and the Arab League. She stresses relevant countries should follow the objectives and principles of the UN Charter and international laws, and to respect Libya's sovereignty, independence, unification and territorial integrity.

She also voiced China's concern that the international military strikes may have caused civilian casualties.

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