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bjbjLULU RAY SUAREZ: Now to the ambassador who first represented Gadhafi's government,
then broke with it, and now speaks in Washington for the rebels. He is Ali Suleiman Aujali.
We talked with him earlier this evening. Ambassador, welcome to the program. What's the latest
news that you have gotten from Libya today? ALI SULEIMAN AUJALI, Libyan ambassador to
the United States: Thank you. Well, the latest news is, the TNC, they control Tripoli. And
the resist -- the -- Gadhafi's forces, they are shrinking and they are now desperate.
And we still have the -- Gadhafi's compound, they still have some mercenaries there and
in some hospitals and maybe hotels. And the situation completely under control, but we
still are hunting for Gadhafi. We must find him and we must get him. RAY SUAREZ: Are you
assuming that he is still in the country? ALI SULEIMAN AUJALI: I do, yes. RAY SUAREZ:
Well, from what you know of the man, what do you think his next move is? Is he likely
to surrender, or will he continue to fight? ALI SULEIMAN AUJALI: I believe that Gadhafi,
he is a very shrewd man. He will not surrender. He will not give up. He will continue to fight,
I believe. And you never -- you never predict what he's going to do next time, next step.
This is why we have to be ready for any action, for any surprises. And the TNC, I think they're
bringing all what they have to stop Gadhafi from hurting his own people further, you know?
RAY SUAREZ: So there are still forces aligned with the former leader who could still hurt
people, cause damage in Libya today? ALI SULEIMAN AUJALI: Yes. RAY SUAREZ: So who is running
the country now? ALI SULEIMAN AUJALI: Well, the country is running by the TNC, by the
local councils. And Gadhafi only has access to some of his people who are still with him.
That's all. RAY SUAREZ: So, what's the first job for the Transitional National Council?
What -- what do they really have to accomplish before they can start doing the other things
that a government does? ALI SULEIMAN AUJALI: I think the first job, we have to get this
man. We have to arrest him, to -- and we -- we have to get him. If he is still at large,
I think the dangers are still around. The other thing of the security of the Tripoli
and the cities around Tripoli is crucial. And access to the assets is another -- an
issue that is very important for the TNC to run the service to the people, especially
in the western part, where they have been under the Gadhafi siege for the last six months.
And they need it very badly. They need it for the security. They need it for stability.
They need it for medicine. They need it for goods. This is a very important issue. And
we hope that we will have an access very soon to the frozen money. RAY SUAREZ: Do you think
that will go a long way towards stopping the fighting? If they do, as you say, get Gadhafi,
will the people who support him stop fighting, lay down their arms, if they see that he's
either dead or in custody? ALI SULEIMAN AUJALI: Well, I think this is true. But, at the same
time, people, they are laying their arms now. Now, you know that Brega, which has been an
obstacle in front of the advance of the west -- of the east to the west, now it is a completely
under the control of the TNC forces. They gave up their arms last night and it's completely
under control. Not only that, but the security brigades of Gadhafi, they surrendered completely
and they give their arms. His prime minister, now he's in Tunisia, and nobody is around
with him, except some soldiers, some mercenaries who still can really make the situation a
bit complicated until we get him and we get rid of them. RAY SUAREZ: We have seen in recent
years, as deeply entrenched regimes are overthrown, their governments are out of power, but often
the bloodshed continues. Can that be avoided in Libya? ALI SULEIMAN AUJALI: Well, we're
trying to do that. I hope that Gadhafi will have no more access to anything and this is
the case. But I'm very optimistic. We are a very small nation, and we're not Baghdad
or Afghanistan or -- the people under Gadhafi regime, they are desperate. They want to get
rid of him. And I think, in the near future, that we will not find anyone who will really
have any sympathy or relation with the Gadhafi regime. I mean, people, they don't remember
anything good with Gadhafi. What do they remember? Dictatorship, abuses, frustration, killing,
murders. That's what the people is -- remember from the Gadhafi regime. Now they have a hope.
Now they have dreams. Now they have to protect the revolution. Now they have a chance to
practice democracy. Now they can form their own party. Now they can choose their own people.
Now they can have a good relation with the democratic countries in the world. Now we
will feel more comfortable at least. I want to enjoy my job as ambassador representing
a country which make my life a little bit easy. I am facing a very great challenge since
I joined the foreign service many years ago. RAY SUAREZ: There's going to be an international
meeting in Paris in the coming days about the future Libya. What kind of help does your
country need from the rest of the world now? ALI SULEIMAN AUJALI: Well, of course we need
the -- the United -- we need the nations -- the NATO mission to be completed. We need to have
access to the frozen money. We need the support to build our democratic constitution. We need
help training our people. We need help to secure our borders and our beaches. All these
are very important issues. And Libya needs help in it. RAY SUAREZ: Ambassador Aujali,
thanks for joining us. ALI SULEIMAN AUJALI: Thank you very much. urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags
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