Turkey cuts ties
ISTANBUL - Turkey has cut its diplomatic ties with the Libyan government and recalled its ambassador, the government's Official Gazette reported over the weekend.
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu visited the eastern rebel stronghold of Benghazi on Sunday and pledged $200 million in aid to the rebel National Transitional Council.
It was time for Muammar Gadhafi to leave Libya, Davutoglu said, declaring the rebel National Council "a legitimate representative of the Libyan people".
Muslim Turkey, a member of NATO, is supporting the Western alliance's operations in Libya in a non-combat role, with efforts focused on keeping open channels for relief supplies to the embattled civilians.
Reuters
(China Daily 07/05/2011 page12)
