The BRICS nations say ‘no’ to Libya violence

Foreign ministries of the BRICS nations (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) are busy arranging their agendas ahead of the third BRICS summit in Chinese Sanya on April, 14^th. Global events are developing at such a high pace that plans are being corrected on the go. Commenting on the summit, China’s Foreign Ministry said that the participants will exchange views on most pressing issues of economic development and plans for future cooperation. International problems are also said to be on the agenda.

The summit will be taking place amid NATO-led bombing in Libya, not allowing the BRICS nations turn a blind eye on the crisis in North Africa. Muammar Gaddafi demonstrated his political will and outstanding ability of an army chief when unleashed a war against the opposition. It has turned out that he has many supporters not only in the Arab world but also in Europe, especially in countries involved in operation ‘Odyssey. Dawn’. And their motives are quite obvious: Gaddafi may take revenge to repay the West for unfair play. He will be guided by deceived confidence and tragic life of Saddam Hussein. Despite all concessions Gaddafi made to the West (in particular, his refusal to develop weapons of mass destruction), Libya was turned into a firing ground, and he himself became a target. Tens of missiles were fired at ‘Gaddafi`s objects’, while the Libyan leader is being chased as if he were not a recognized president of a sovereign country.

Violations of the UN Charter and other regulations of international law, the use of force and large-scale information warfare (and Russia`s liberal mass media are not an exception here),- this all may lead to new bloody conflicts and more casualties among civilians in case operation ‘Odyssey. Dawn’ succeeds. I cannot understand why some correspondents look so delighted when the report about successful strikes carried out by US and NATO forces in Libya. There was a very good Russian writer and journalist whom liberal literature critics called ‘the General Headquarters’ nightingale’ for his unbiased reports about the Soviet army. And I wonder whether we should call all these new journalists ‘the Pentagon`s nightingales’.

It is high time for the BRICS nations to agree on a joint initiative to settle the Libyan crisis. South Africa, which recently joined the organization, spoke out in favor of a ‘blueprint’ of peaceful settlement in Libya. Founding members of the BRICS grouping are also extremely interested in peaceful Libya as they all have economic and energy interests there. Chinaand Russia have had intense military cooperation with Tripoli. All their efforts will turn to be in vain in case Gaddafi is toppled to give way to various militant groups guided by CIA, MI6 and Mossad.

During their recent phone conversation, President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev and his Venezuelan counterpart Hugo Chavez discussed the Libyan crisis and its possible outcome. Both leaders expressed their deep concern over the issue and agreed that all sides involved in the conflict must adhere to UNSC resolutions.

Obviously, Medvedev and Chavez now share the same opinion and see NATO-led operation in Libya negatively.Earlier, Mr. Chavez supported Gaddafi as his former ally in OPEC, and used the Spanish word cruzada (crusade) to describe US and NATO aggression in Libya, which he said was aimed at the country’s oil fields. Mr. Chavez criticized the media for describing violence in Libya as ‘Gaddafi`s genocide against his nation’. Venezuelan leader urged people not to believe blindly in what CNN and other western mass media outlets were saying. He asked TeleSur reporters to go to Libya and provide an unbiased coverage from the area. The move resulted in a series of truly objective reports. Shortly after that Chavez was threatened to be ‘next after Gaddafi’. He was again showered with criticism in Venezuela`s mass media, 80% of which are controlled by the opposition.

However, in telling the truth Chavez is persistent as usual: “We can see how imperialism has dropped its mask and invented a far-fetched excuse to justify the bombing of Libyan towns”, Chavez said. He called Gadaffi to express his moral support to him and say that Venezuela sympathized with Libyan nation fighting against imperialism. When Chavez was criticized for having awarded a replica of Simon Bolivar’s sword to Gaddafi, Venezuelan leader explained that Libya`s president deserved it for his revolutionary policy.

The leader of Venezuela is doing his best to persuade Latin American countries support peace initiatives proposed by the BRICS. Certainly, delegates at the Chinese summit will heed to ALBA, UNASUR, MERCOSUR. Chavez`s opinion is respected in Africa. In recent years Venezuela opened its embassies practically in all African countries. A special delegation from the African Union has gone to Libya to try to find a way to a peaceful dialogue. The African Union did not back Resolution 1973 and unanimously supported Gaddafi.

The situation in Libya will remain far from stable unless Gaddafi falls victim to an internal conspiracy. NATO hopes to settle ‘the Gaddafi issue’ within three months. In his article headlined “How Is Gaddafi Going to Hit Back?” columnist Sergei Shashkov said that either Libyan leader or his successors would come up with effective methods to disclose imperialistic conspiracy.

Meanwhile, there are reports that operation ‘Odyssey. Dawn’ is not successful any longer. Accidentally, rebels frequently become targets for attacks.There are fears that Gaddafi`s supporters may be plotting revenge in Europe. NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen admits that there can be no military solution to the Libyan conflict. So there are high chances that peaceful initiatives suggested by the African Union and the BRICS nations will work.