Thaindian News

United Nations, March 29 (IANS) UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has said he will participate in the conference on Libya to be held in London Tuesday, Xinhua reported.

The statement came as the secretary-general was briefing the UN General Assembly in a closed session on the current situation in Libya and his recent trip to Egypt and Tunisia.

“For my part, I will continue to engage in wide-ranging diplomatic efforts aimed at a ceasefire and a political solution,” Ban said, “That is why tomorrow, I will attend the London conference on Libya.”

Ban said that his special envoy, former Jordanian foreign minister Abdelilah Al-Khatib, will join him at the upcoming London conference, which will attract more than 40 delegations.

“My special envoy, Mr. Al-Khatib, will join me there,” Ban said. “I am expecting him to travel to Libya again soon to meet the parties.”

“I would add that I have also been in close touch with leaders in the region,” he said.

Ban said that “we continue to see no evidence of a ceasefire” as repeatedly claimed by the Libyan authorities.

Meanwhile, he said, “We have serious concerns about the protection of civilians and respect for human rights and international humanitarian law. I call, once again, for full respect for international humanitarian law and human rights by all those involved in the fighting.”

Also attending the London conference will be Jean ping, chairman of the African Union, Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of state, and the prime minister of Qatar, the British Foreign Ministry said in a statement Monday, adding that the conference will call for a political process that helps create conditions for the Libyan people to choose their own future.