US to use frozen Gadhafi assets for Libyan people

[May 05, 2011]  ROME (AP) -- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says the Obama administration is moving to free up some of the more than $30 billion it has frozen in Libyan assets to support opponents of Moammar Gadhafi.

Speaking Thursday at an international meeting on Libya, Clinton said the administration would ask Congress for legislation that would allow it to tap portions of the money to help the Libyan people. The administration has already authorized up to $25 million in non-lethal military assistance to the opposition and has pledged $53 million in humanitarian aid.

Clinton said it was important to isolate Gadhafi and his regime, including by imposing travel bans on top officials, suspending Libyan embassies and sending envoys to work with the opposition's Transitional National Council.

[Associated Press; By MATTHEW LEE]

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