BENGHAZI, Libya — Libya’s rebels, increasingly confident on the ground, no longer need weapons drops from France, Paris said Tuesday.“There is emerging a political order distinct from that of Tripoli,” French Defence Minister Gerard Longuet said. “The (rebel) territories are organising their autonomy... That is why the parachute drops are no longer necessary.”
Last week, France said it supplied light arms including rifles and rocket launchers to the rebels for “self-defence” in line with a UN resolution and that it informed NATO and the Security Council of its plan to do so.
Russia criticised the arms drops, and FranceÂ’s NATO ally Britain expressed reservations.
UN Security Council Resolution 1970, passed in February, prohibited states from providing any kind of arms to Libya. Resolution 1973 in March authorised nations “to take all necessary measures” to help protect civilians.
Longuet was cautious about the rebels’ chances of defeating Gadddafi in a major offensive they have said they are preparing on Tripoli. They have a “growing capacity to organise politically and militarily” but are “currently not in a stabilised, centralised system,” he said.