Libyan foreign minister quits gov't, arrives in Britain

British government confirms that Moussa Koussa, a senior figure in Gaddafi's gov't, arrived under his own free will from Tunisia.

By REUTERS

MARCH 31, 2011 00:32

Libya's Foreign Minister Moussa Koussa 311 (photo credit: REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra/Files) — Libya's Foreign Minister Moussa Koussa 311

(photo credit: REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra/Files)

LONDON - Libyan Foreign Minister Moussa Koussa arrived in Britain on Wednesday and has resigned from Muammar Gaddafi's government, the British government said.

"We can confirm that Moussa Koussa arrived at Farnborough Airport on 30 March from Tunisia. He traveled here under his own free will. He has told us he is resigning his post," a Foreign Office spokesman said in a statement.

"Koussa is one of the most senior figures in Gaddafi's government and his role was to represent the regime internationally -something that he is no longer willing to do," the spokesman said.

The British government encouraged people around Gaddafi to abandon him, he added.

Also on Wednesday, Tunisia's Prime Minister Beji Caid Sebsi announced a freeze on assets belonging to Gaddafi, saying the move was "the least we can do."

Speaking in an interview with Tunisia's main TV channels, Sebsi said: "We had no problems making that decision."

A Tunisian government source said last week Tunisia had frozen assets belonging to the Gaddafi family.