French planes were flying over Libya on Saturday to prevent “air strikes” of Muammar Gaddafi’s forces on Benghazi and are “ready to intervene against the Libyan army,” said French President Nicolas Sarkozy Saturday at the conclusion of a summit in Paris.
“In agreement with our partners, our aircraft will take action against any aggression from the part of Colonel Gaddafi air force against the people of Benghazi. From now on, our planes will prevent air attacks on the city,” said Nicolas Sarkozy.
“It is time for Muammar Gaddafi to avoid the worst, conforming immediately and without reservation to all requirements of the international community,” Sarkozy said at the conclusion of a summit of Western and Arab leaders at the Elysee palace.
“The gates of diplomacy will be open again when the attacks will stop,” he continued.
“Today, we intervene in Libya under UN Security Council mandate. Together with our partners, especially our Arab partners, we will do so to protect the civilian population from the insanity of a murderous regime, that, by assassinating its own people, has lost any legitimacy”, the French leader said.
“We intervene to enable the Libyan people to choose their own destiny. They will not be deprived of their rights by violence and terror”, he insisted.