Hague says Col Gaddafi 'must go'

27 February 2011 Last updated at 12:22 Foreign Secretary William Hague: 'Gaddafi must go'

Foreign Secretary William Hague has said "it is time" for Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi to step down.

His comments came after the airlift of 150 oil workers, many of them British, from desert camps in Libya. About 300 British nationals remain stranded.

Speaking on the BBC Andrew Marr programme, Mr Hague said: "Of course, it is time for Colonel Gaddafi to go, that is the best hope for Libya."

The UK has withdrawn his diplomatic immunity on British soil, he added.

The order also applies to his family and household.

"It is very clear where we stand on his status as the head of state," he said.

Mr Hague also confirmed that former prime minister Tony Blair had kept the government informed about telephone conversations he had had with the Libyan leader over recent days.

The foreign secretary said the UK was "working intensively" to establish how many Britons remained in Libya and said the Foreign Office "continued to urge British nationals to leave" the country.

Rescue flights

The Foreign Office has issued advice on possible options for leaving:

The Royal Navy frigate HMS Cumberland is leaving Benghazi at 1500 (Libyan time) on Sunday Planes carrying rescued oil workers are expected to leave Malta at 1400 and 1700 GMT, bound for GatwickThe Hungarian government has organised a charter flight out of Tripoli on Sunday and is willing to accept British nationalsThe Romanian government is also sending a plane to Tripoli on Sunday, with availability for approximately 40 EU citizens. It is expected to arrive at 1400 and leave at 1900 (Libyan time)Where it is safe to do so, UK citizens can consider leaving Libya by road via the Tunisian border, which is openFurther rescue missions are planned to reach the British nationals still strandedMore details are on the Foreign Office website and all options to depart Libya will also be updated via Twitter.

The Foreign Office has revised upwards its original estimate of the number of British oil workers still in the desert.

Continue reading the main story The numbers for British nationals to call about charter flights out of Libya are 020 7008 0000 from the UK or 021 340 3644/45 from LibyaIt is understood that many of their employers had not registered them with the embassy in Tripoli, which meant consular staff had been unaware of their whereabouts when the first protests against Col Gaddafi's regime broke out two weeks ago.

It now estimates there could be between 280 and 380 British nationals still in the country - and is urging those who have already left to contact them on 0207 008 0000 to ensure they have been accounted for.

Evacuation effort More than 150 oil workers have arrived in Malta after being rescued from Libya

On Saturday, 53 Britons and consular staff were among 100 on the last government-chartered flight out of Libya to Gatwick.

Meanwhile, two RAF Hercules flew the 150 oil workers to the safety of Malta.

Mr Hague said Libyan authorities had not given permission for the rescue operation - despite being contacted - but the UK government felt "it was the only sure way to get people out of the desert".

Continue reading the main story

For British Special Forces yesterday was a difficult mission deep inside Libya but was not one of the most challenging plans that are being looked at”

End Quote Gavin Hewitt BBC's Europe editor The BBC's Europe editor Gavin Hewitt, who is in Malta, says the RAF flights on Saturday were into an area which was "relatively safe" because the landing strip had been secured by local militia, and by oil company security.

He says "there are much more complicated and difficult places where there are still British workers", and rescue plans for them are being worked out.

"The biggest fear is of landing in an area that is not in under the control of one side or the other," he added.

Defence Secretary Liam Fox confirmed the Hercules flights on Saturday evening, once they had arrived in Malta, and gave detail of other evacuation efforts.

"HMS York has arrived in Valletta to take on board stores so it can assist the evacuation effort if required. And a number of other military assets remain available to support the FCO-led efforts to return civilians from Libya," he said.

Rescued oil worker Peter Dingle said he had to keep quiet about the British operation. Pictures courtesy MoD.

The Foreign Office said the Hercules passengers had been met by a team of consular officials and Red Cross staff in Valletta, where they would be helped before returning to Britain on a government-chartered plane on Sunday or Monday.

Much of Libya, especially the east, is now controlled by anti-Gaddafi forces but the Libyan leader, who is coming under increasing pressure from the international community over his crackdown against protesters, still controls Tripoli.

The capital is home to two million of the country's 6.5 million population.

A.nemdil & Press Agencies