The only Taiwanese businessman left in Libya, where Western coalition forces began launching air strikes on Saturday, insisted on staying in the North African country to protect his business and employees, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday.
Ministry spokesman James Chang (章計平) said the ministry was in close, daily contact with the lone Taiwanese holdout and has been urging him to leave the country since late last month when the situation in the country began deteriorating.
“He was reluctant to leave the country where he has operated his factory for more than three decades and he insisted on staying to protect his more than 300 employees,” Chang said.
The unnamed businessman said that the situation in the outskirts of Libya’s capital, Tripoli, where his factory is located, appeared secure.
However, Chang said the ministry was ready to provide assistance if the businessman decided to return to Taiwan.
Chang also said Taiwan urged Libya to respect the UN Security Council resolution that mandates Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi stop all military action against his people or face a UN-sanctioned no-fly zone, which authorizes “all necessary measures” to protect civilian areas and prevent forces allied with Qaddafi from using Libyan airspace.
During a meeting with the National Security Council on Monday President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) had also expressed concern about the safety of Taiwanese in North Africa and the Middle East.
All other Taiwanese, including diplomats, have been evacuated from Libya, where a rebellion broke out last month against Qaddafi, who has been in power since 1969.
Additional reporting by staff writer
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