The British authorities made a decision on Sunday to expel the Libyan ambassador to London following an attack on the British embassy in Tripoli by forces loyal to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.
Media reports said on Sunday that pro-Gaddafi crowds had attacked several foreign embassies in Tripoli earlier in the day, including those of Britain and Italy.
“I condemn the attacks on the British embassy premises in Tripoli as well as the diplomatic missions of other countries,” British Foreign Secretary William Hague said in a statement.
“The Vienna convention requires the Gaddafi regime to protect diplomatic missions in Tripoli. By failing to do so that regime has once again breached its international responsibilities and obligations,” he said, adding “I take the failure to protect such premises very seriously indeed.”
Jelban has been given 24 hours to leave the country.
The Italian Foreign Ministry also confirmed the attack on its embassy, saying that it had been destroyed and looted.
The attacks came a day after Gaddafi’s youngest son, Saif al-Arab, 29, and three of the Libyan leader’s grandchildren were reported to have been killed in a NATO airstrike on a house where the Libyan leader and his family were staying at the time.
NATO has not confirmed the death of Gaddafi’s son and has denied allegations that its airstrikes were targeting the Libyan leader.
MOSCOW/LONDON, May 1 (RIA Novosti)