Libyan PM seeks US help to ease unrest

WASHINGTON - Agence France-Presse

Libya’s interim Prime Minister Abdul Rahim al-Keib on March 8 appealed for U.S. help to get the “remnants” of the Gadhafi regime and finally bring to an end what he called the “war of liberation.” Kib appeared to suggest he wanted members of the ousted regime of slain dictator Moammar Gadhafi handed over for justice.

But a senior U.S. State Department official told reporters later that the Libyans are asking Washington to persuade countries harboring Gadhafi family members to prevent them from spouting rhetoric challenging the new government.

National Transitional Council leader Mustafa Abdul Jalil warned that there were remnants of the regime of Gadhafi in their ranks after tribal and political leaders in Benghazi declared the eastern oil-rich region of Cyrenaica as autonomous. “One of the things we did request help with from Madame secretary was the remnants of the past regime,” al-Keib said during a press conference with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton after they met in Washington.