China's Vice Foreign Minister Cui Tiankai said that his country stands ready to assist Libya in its reconstruction following the downfall of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's regime, adding that Beijing supports the United Nations reconstruction efforts.
Cui said, "It depends on the needs of the Libyan people themselves, whatever they need we will be willing to help them." Cui made his observations to reporters attending the Pacific Islands Forum in Auckland, New Zealand.
When queried as to the possible effort that the United Nations might have in reconstructing the country he replied, "We will support the United Nations to play a leading role" before adding that any mission would first need approval from the UN Security Council, Channel NewsAsia news agency reported.
China for many years helped the Gaddafi regime, and has invested billions in various projects in the North African nation.
Cui had no comment on recent media reports that after the Libyan insurrection began, China offered to assist Gaddafi's regime by supplying weapons, in direct contravention of a UN arms embargo. According to the reports, the Gaddafi administration could avail itself of large stocks of Chinese-supplied weaponry from neighboring Algeria, which China would then replenish.
By. Charles Kennedy, Deputy Editor OilPrice.com
Charles is a writer for Oilprice.com More
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