By IANS,
Copenhagen : Two remaining Libyan diplomats serving in Denmark would be sent home within the next five days, the Danish foreign minister has said.
“The two remaining diplomats are declared persona non grata,” Lene Espersen was quoted as saying by Xinhua.
The two diplomats are Vice Consul Saleh Omar Abu Rwesha and Economic Affairs Attache Khaled Mansour Salem el-Asfar.
They received their marching orders at a meeting of Denmark’s foreign ministry’s protocol division Monday night, Espersen said.
Denmark initially hoped the two diplomats would switch loyalties to the Transitional National Council, which Denmark recognises as the legitimate authority in Libya.
Denmark expelled in May Libya’s Consul General Muner Eldawani who openly declared his loyalty to Muammar Gaddafi.
But the two other diplomats were allowed to stay, since they did not make any public statements about where their allegiance lies.
“They have decided to remain as diplomats chosen by Gaddafi. Therefore, we have decided to say that they must leave the country,” Espersen said.