By IANS/WAM,
Abu Dhabi: The United Arab Emirates and Turkey have joined hands to deliver urgent relief assistance to the people of Libya, which is witnessing violent anti-government protests.
At a joint press conference with his visiting Turkish counterpart Ahmet Davutoglu, UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan Friday announced that two Emirati aid planes would fly Saturday to Turkey and then to Libya to meet the urgent needs of the Libyan people.
“The UAE is sending two planes, to be based in Turkey, to send humanitarian aid from Turkey to Libya,” Sheikh Abdullah said.
“We will do everything possible to reach out to Libya in humanitarian ways,” the Turkish minister said.
The two ministers also condemned the acts of violence, calling on the Libyan authorities to immediately refrain from the use of violence and act to stop bloodshed.
Pro-democracy demonstrations inspired by the successful revolutions that deposed decades-long rulers in neighbouring Tunisia and Egypt have engulfed Libya since Feb 14.
The protesters are demanding the ouster of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, who came to power 41 years ago in a bloodless military coup.