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International arrest warrant for Gaddafi will not change the situation in Libya, Del Boca says
by Simone Cantarini
For the historian, the Libyan leader would rather be killed than give up power. Few hopes for a diplomatic solution persist before September.
Roma (AsiaNews) – “The arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court will not have any repercussions on the current situation in Libya. NATO will not stop its strikes and Gaddafi will not go away. If he does flee, he’ll go to a country that won’t extradite him,” Prof Angelo Del Boca told AsiaNews. A journalist and university scholar, Del Boca has studied Libya and its leader for 30 years.
“Gaddafi has built up his myth for more than 42 years,” Del Boca said. “He’s rather be killed than lose and give up power.”
The same thing is true for France, Great Britain and Italy, which continue to bomb, in spite of domestic criticism, the high costs and the US pulling back.
A peaceful solution to the conflict can be excluded before NATO’s official operation ends in September, the historian said.
All attempts made so far have failed. Yesterday, the Libyan leader walked out of talks organised by members of the African Union, the only international organisation that is still willing to deal with him.
“Gaddafi does not see himself as a head of state, but rather as a revolutionary leader, one that has no specific function,” Del Boca explained. “He uses this to prevent agreements and hide his weakness.”
“However, given Gaddafi’s peculiar traits, no one can exclude some dramatic turn of events. As long as he is alive, he still holds all the cards.”