Defector leaves UK for Libya talksBy Europe correspondent Emma Alberici, wires
A former Libyan foreign minister who fled to Britain last month has left the UK to travel to Doha for talks between the Qatari government and Libyan representatives.
Moussa Koussa, a former ally to Libyan strongman Moamar Gaddafi, sought refuge in Britain on March 30, saying he could no longer remain in Libya while its security and stability was so seriously compromised.
An international group is due to hold talks on the future of Libya in the Qatari capital today after an African Union attempt to broker a peace deal between rebel groups and Mr Gaddafi collapsed.
Qatar is the only Arab country to recognise the Libyan rebel administration in Benghazi.
Mr Koussa will not participate in the meeting but is expected to hold talks on the sidelines.
The former spy chief was questioned by Scottish police over the 1988 Lockerbie airliner bombing which killed 270 people, but the British government says he is now free to travel.
"Moussa Koussa is a free individual who can travel to and from the United Kingdom as he wishes," a spokesman said.
British government sources say they expect Mr Koussa to return to Britain after his talks, although others questioned the wisdom of letting him leave.
"It is very important that our country doesn't become a transit lounge for alleged war criminals," Conservative member of parliament Robert Halfon told the BBC.
"We have to give a signal to the rest of the world that we cannot tolerate this."Before leaving the UK, Mr Koussa spoke publicly for the first time since his defection.
He said the solution would come from the Libyans themselves and through discussion and democratic dialogue, and warned of the consequences of ongoing conflict.
"I strongly urge all sides to work hard to avoid taking Libya into civil war, which could only end in a bloodbath that will transform Libya into another Somalia," he said.
Some members of the Scottish parliament also expressed regret that Mr Koussa was not detained in Britain after being questioned.
Mr Koussa was Libya's spy chief at the time of the Lockerbie bombing.
Abdel Basset al Megrahi, a former Libyan agent, was sentenced to life in prison in 2001 for his part in blowing up the US airliner, but was released by the Scottish authorities in 2009 on compassionate grounds.
Mr Koussa played a key role in his release and US and Scottish authorities had hoped he would provide intelligence on the incident, which could lead to more convictions.
As the former Gaddafi ally flew to Qatar, representatives from France and Britain were in Luxembourg criticising the NATO effort and calling for the military alliance to ramp up its attacks.
The call came a day after Libya's rebel interim government rejected a ceasefire plan proposed by the African Union, which involved keeping Mr Gaddafi in power.
French foreign minister Alain Juppe called for NATO to increase its presence in Libya.
"In the first place, NATO needs to play its role fully. It wanted the leadership of this operation and we accepted that," he said.
"Now it must play its role, that is to say destroy the heavy artillery that is currently bombarding the city of Misrata."
British foreign secretary William Hague also wants NATO to intensify its efforts to protect Libyans.
"That is why the United Kingdom has in the last week supplied additional aircraft capable of striking ground targets threatening the civilian population of Libya," he said.
Mr Hague will co-chair the Doha meeting with the Qatari prime minister and foreign minister. Mr Juppe and his Greek counterpart Dimitris Droutsas will also attend.
The US will be represented by the undersecretary of state for political affairs.
- ABC/Reuters
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