From: Biniam Haile \(SWE\) (eritrea.lave@comhem.se)
Date: Wed Mar 10 2010 - 17:01:29 EST
Tuesday, 9 March 2010
US apologises over Gaddafi comments
The US state department has apologised for comments made about Libyan
leader Muammar Gaddafi's call for jihad against Switzerland.
Department spokesman PJ Crowley, who made the dismissive comments, said
they did not reflect US policy and were not intended to offend.
Col Gaddafi had criticised a Swiss vote against the building of minarets
and urged Muslims to boycott the country.
Mr Crowley described it as "lots of words, not necessarily a lot of
sense."
Libya and Switzerland are embroiled in a long-running diplomatic row.
Clarification
"I regret that my comments have become an obstacle to further progress
in our bilateral relationship," Mr Crowley said.
Last week, Libya's National Oil Corporation warned US oil firms of
possible "repercussions" over Mr Crowley's reaction.
The Libyan ambassador to the US sought to clarify Col Gaddafi's remarks
saying the Libyan leader meant an economic boycott not "an armed
attack".
"I should have focused solely on our concern about the term jihad, which
has since been clarified by the Libyan government," Mr Crowley added.
"I understand my personal comments were perceived as a personal attack
on the president," he said.
"These comments do not reflect US policy and were not intended to
offend. I apologise if they were taken that way."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8558764.stm
Col Muammar Gaddafi
<http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/47443000/jpg/_47443809_007471645-
1.jpg>
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