NATO raids are undermining African mediation for peace in Libya, South African President Jacob Zuma said in a broadcast as he visited Tripoli for talks with Muammar Gaddafi.

The alliance's air strikes on the strongman's regime were thwarting African attempts to broker a peace deal, Zuma said on Monday before his talks with Gaddafi in an interview broadcast on South African television news.

"Even going there had to be delayed because of bombing," said Zuma, in an apparent reference to an initial African Union (AU) mission to Libya.

Advertisement: Story continues below
"We only went there long after the time that we had taken a decision, and even going there, you have to ask permission from the NATO to get to Libya.

"I think that in a sense undermines the integrity of the African Union."

Zuma went to Tripoli on Monday to meet Gaddafi for talks on ending the conflict, after the high-level AU peace-seeking mission in April fell through.

"We cannot allow this conflict to take too long," he told the SABC public broadcaster.

"It complicates as you go forward but also it might end up in an unfortunate situation for Libya and perhaps for Gaddafi himself," he said.

The South African presidency said Zuma is seeking an immediate ceasefire, to boost humanitarian aid and to bring about reforms needed to eliminate the cause of the conflict which erupted amid anti-regime protests mid-February.

But it rejected as "misleading" reports the talks would focus on an exit strategy for Gaddafi, calling the visit part of AU efforts to end the conflict.

Libyan state television said Zuma would discuss implementing the AU "roadmap" for peace, as it reported NATO-led raids on the Nafusa mountains in the far west and the town of Bani Walid, near Misrata.

http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-world/nato-undermines-libya-peace-efforts-zuma-20110531-1fdbx.html

NATO Undermines the AU - Surprise Surprise.

Who's got the 'Bigger Balls'?

what does zuma know? nonsense

The 'Arab League' and 'EU' have more say in Africa than the 'AU' - 


That's the predicament we find ourselves in - Its tragic.

Sun of god:

The 'Arab League' and 'EU' have more say in Africa than the 'AU' - 


That's the predicament we find ourselves in - Its tragic.

France, England, China and the USA have more say in Africa as individual countries than the AU; the AU is a very bad joke. But I admire Zuma for trying to give the toothless organisation some sub-saharan credibility

2muchlogic:

France, England, China and the USA have more say in Africa as individual countries than the AU; the AU is a very bad joke. But I admire Zuma for trying to give the toothless organisation some sub-saharan credibility

Ghadaffi helped the South Africans alot during apartheid ,he contributed money and armed the cubans who fought alongside Zuma when he was still a commander of the Mkati Sizwe (ANC military wing).Unfortunately he is the only one who has made an attempt to stand up to Nato.The other African presidents are too chicken scared to dare speak out against NATO.

playmode:

Ghadaffi helped the South Africans alot during apartheid ,he contributed money and armed the cubans who fought alongside Zuma when he was still a commander of the Mkati Sizwe (ANC military wing).Unfortunately he is the only one who has made an attempt to stand up to Nato.The other African presidents are too chicken scared to dare speak out against NATO.

Yes thats right, Ghadaffi also spent many years and dollars funding terrorism and trying to become the king of Africa, don't forget he use to sponsor the IRA who use to launch bombing campaigns in England The other leaders? who are they? I can't see Jonathan Badluck opposing anything to do with the western powers and the rest of the so called African leaders will simply be treated as irritating little flies. Its easy to observe that NATO is also clueless and since war-monger Gaddaffi has not been scared by their bombs they do not have a plan B. All the talk of Apache helicopters is designed to scare Gaddaffi whilst they think of what to do. The outcome is far from certain, and the longer it goes on the more insignificant the death of Gaddaffi will be just like Osama.

Wait for the ANC TERRORIST ZUMA to get there, and then send a US drone to take them out from the sky. Two birds with one (Drone) !!!!

Any body supporting Gaddafi to kill the people of Bengazi is as mad as the mad Gadaffi. I dont know why NATO is wasting so much time to kill Gadaffi and Saif and let peace return to Libya.