There is a large community of Libyans resident in the UK, including students and professionals. This community requires a diplomatic mission that represents and supports its interests. The current Libyan embassy in the UK acts as an extension of the regime’s security apparatus and does not consider the interests of this community a priority. Although we strongly support the decision by the Foreign Office to expel the Libyan ambassador to the UK, the absence of consular and diplomatic representatives would put this community at a major disadvantage.
In a statement to parliament last week, and in reference to the Libya Contact Group meeting in Doha on the 13th of April, the Foreign Secretary William Hague declared that “in contrast to Qadhafi, we and our allies regard the National Transitional Council as a legitimate interlocutor, representing the aspirations of the Libyan people".
Therefore, we the undersigned, request the British government to acknowledge the aspirations of the Libyan people and allow representatives from the Libyan National Transitional Council to act as a diplomatic mission in the UK during this transitional period.