Feltman Reports on Visit to Libya

After meeting in Tripoli with leaders of the TNC and civil society groups, Assistant Secretary of State Jeffrey Feltman described the city as “remarkably normal in atmosphere,” with businesses open, traffic flowing, and police patrolling the streets. In his teleconference broadcast from Tripoli, Feltman outlined the approach he emphasized in his meetings with TNC Chairman Mustafa Abdul Jalil and Prime Minister Mahmoud Jibril among others: “the message I had for the Libyan officials was threefold. One, we respect Libya’s sovereignty. Going forward, we want to work within the context of Libya’s sovereignty and Libya’s independence. Second, the United States and our international partners do have an enduring commitment to supporting the Libyan people as they chart their own future. And third, we want to build a broad relationship with Libya based on mutual respect and shared interests.”

Feltman also addressed concerns from journalists about how the TNC would address issues of counter-terrorism, human rights, and Islamist groups. In response to a question about who would provide military training and assistance to the TNC, Feltman noted that the U.S. would likely be one of several nations willing to help, but that “this is going to have to be a Libyan process. The Libyans themselves need to define for us what they’re comfortable with.” Neither the U.S. nor the TNC would agree to the presence of “combat boots on the ground.”