US renews demand for Gaddafi to abandon power

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US secretary of state Hillary Clinton told Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi on Saturday to abandon power and said rebels are gaining strength after he threatened attacks on Europe.

Clinton, on an official visit to Nato ally Spain, called on the Libyan leader to deliver democracy rather than threats.

“Instead of issuing threats, Gaddafi should put the well-being and interests of his own people first and he should step down from power and help facilitate a democratic transition,” the secretary of state said.

“The Nato-led mission is on track and pressure on Gaddafi is mounting and the rebels have been gaining strength and momentum. We need to see this through,” she told a news conference.

Clinton, speaking alongside Spanish foreign minister Trinidad Jiminez, was asked about Gaddafi’s warning yesterday that the Libyan people could one day strike Europe.

“They could attack your homes, your offices, your families could become legitimate military targets because you have transformed our offices, headquarters, homes and children into military targets which you say are legitimate,” Gaddafi said in Tripoli.

“If we decide to do so, we are capable of throwing ourselves on Europe like swarms of locusts or bees.”

Asked about the threats, Spain’s foreign minister vowed to keep up the pressure on Gaddafi.

“The answer of Spain and the international coalition is to maintain the unity and determination with which we have been working in the past months,” Jimenez said.

“We are working together to protect the Libyan people from the threats and violence that Gaddafi is employing against them. We will stay until we achieve our goals.”