Many leaked e-mails related to former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton revealed French and British scheme to split Libya especially after the ouster of the late leader Muammar Gaddafi, according to media reports published on Monday.
In view of their serious nature, Hillary insisted to clarify the sources of information who were key members of the Libyan National Transitional Council, as well as the highest levels of European Governments, Muslim Brotherhood, and Western Intelligence and security services.
The Scheme is as follows:
During the period between (mid-January 2012 to March 2012) officers of the a French General Directorate for External Security (Direction Generale de la Securite Exterieure DGSE), and the British Secret Intelligence Service (SIS—MI-6) activated long standing contacts with tribal and civic leaders in Eastern Libya, in an effort to encourage them to establish a semi-autonomous zone in the historic province of Cyrenaica (Barqa in Arabic).
According to extremely well-informed sources, this effort was initiated by advisors to French President Nicholas Sarkozy after complaints from concerned French business leaders that the new Libyan Government was not rewarding appropriately French firms for the leading role France played in supporting the 2011 revolution against former Dictator Muammar al Qaddafi.
The British Intelligence Service joined in this effort at the instruction of the office of Prime Minister David Cameron. This highly confidential effort comes in response to the inability of the National Transitional Council (NTC) government in Tripoli to organize the country effectively and deal with Western business interests in an effective and efficient manner.
The French and British business and intelligence officials believed that a semi-autonomous regime in the Eastern city of Benghazi will be able to organize business opportunities in that region. This in turn will allow these Western firms to initiate new business projects. These same officials believe that there is also reduced threat from Islamist militias in the East. According to a knowledgeable source, French officials believe that this situation is the natural result of el-Keib's failure to organize the country and disarm the ethnic and regional militias who did the majority of the fighting against Qaddafi's forces during the revolution.
A very sensitive source, the French Government and business leaders actually expected to receive thirty five (35) per cent of new economic development in Libya after the fall of Gaddafi.
Like many Western businessmen, these French officials made informal agreements with former Prime Minister Mahmoud Jibril and his advisors, only to see these agreements ignored or delayed when Abdurrahim el-Keib became head of government in October 2011.
In their opinion, once el-Keib moved the government from the Eastern city of Benghazi to the national capital at Tripoli, the government became inefficient and inaccessible.
These inpiduals also believe that the appointment of Minister of Oil Abdulrahman Ben Yezza, who was a long time official of the Italian Oil Company (EN!), was a factor. According to these sources, the bulk of ENI's oil fields are in the Western part of Libya, and Ben Yezza focused his attentions on that region, while failing to effectively organize new business East of Benghazi.
These same officials state that the influences of the Western militias, particularly those from the Zintan region, have weakened the influence of the Eastern Elders.)
An extremely sensitive source stated that the DGSE and SIS intend to control the move toward a semi-autonomous state under a federal system. However, they have been surprised by el-Keib's intention, expressed both in public and in secret meetings with Minister of Defense Ousama al Juwali, a native of Zintan, to use force to hold the country together.
El-Keib is also committed to Ben Yezza, although he is frustrated by the chaotic situation in Tripoli. This atmosphere affects new business for the most part and has been extremely irritating for businessmen from France and other Western countries.
A well-placed source with access to the former royal family (al Senussi), said that these Western officials are focused on working around the chaotic business situation, they are risking a civil war, failing to recognized the longstanding and complicated relationship between the Eastern and Western parts of the country.
Qaddafi, as an absolute dictator, suppressed these differences, which have reemerged with his defeat and death.
In addition, el-Keib is talking to old acquaintances in the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood, in an effort to apply their influence to the Eastern tribal Elders, and help hold the country together.
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