UK expels Libyan Ambassador after attack on British Embassy

UK expels Libyan Ambassador after attack on British Embassy

2011-05-01 22:23:30 GMT+7 (ICT)

TRIPOLI (BNO NEWS) -- The United Kingdom on Sunday expelled the Libyan Ambassador after an attack on the British Embassy in Tripoli, the British government announced.

Libyan forces reportedly attacked the British Embassy premises in Tripoli on Sunday morning, with reports that the residence of the British ambassador had been destroyed. There were no casualties as the buildings were empty.

"The Vienna Convention requires the Gaddafi regime to protect diplomatic missions in Tripoli," UK Foreign Secretary William Hague said, referring to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. "By failing to do so that regime has once again breached its international responsibilities and obligations. I take the failure to protect such premises very seriously indeed."

Hague said that, as a result, he has decided to expel Libyan Ambassador Omar Jelban. "He is persona non grata pursuant to Article 9 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and has 24 hours to leave the country," he said.

The Foreign Secretary also condemned reports that the Italian embassy in Tripoli had also been attacked. "The attacks against diplomatic missions will not weaken our resolve to protect the civilian population in Libya," he said.

There was no immediate comment from Libyan officials, but the attacks on the foreign embassies come less than a day after a NATO airstrike reportedly killed Gaddafi's youngest son and three of his grandchildren.

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