Libya denounces Italian minister's visit to rebel city

TRIPOLI: Libya on Tuesday denounced as illegal Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini's visit to the rebel stronghold city of Benghazi. Libya "firmly condemns this illegal visit," a statement from the foreign ministry in Tripoli said.

Frattini's visit was "a flagrant violation of international norms and conventions and interference in the internal affairs of a sovereign and independent member of the UN," it added.

Frattini was visiting as Italy opened a consulate in Benghazi, reinforcing the rebel administration's diplomatic standing.

"The Qadhafi regime is finished, he must leave office, he must leave the country," Frattini told a joint news conference with Ali al-Essawi, the foreign affairs chief in the rebels' National Transitional Council (NTC).

Frattini's visit came a day after efforts by South African President Jacob Zuma to mediate a ceasefire between embattled leader Moamer Qadhafi's regime failed to achieve a breakthrough.

The ministry statement from Tripoli objected that Frattini's visit was not helping "efforts to find a peaceful solution to what is going on in Libya" -- in particular the African Union peace proposals.

While Tripoli has already accepted the AU proposals, the rebel forces have rejected it because it does not include the departure of Qadhafi.

Italy, the former colonial power in Libay, is part of the international force involved in military action against Qadhafi's forces. It has recognised the rebel administration and called for Qadhafi to go.

Copyright AFP (Agence France-Presse), 2011