South Africa disagrees with Nato's military intervention in Libya and will take no part in today's conference in Paris dedicated to rebuilding the war-torn country, says President Jacob Zuma.
"We are not happy with the way UN resolution 1973 was implemented to allow air strikes on Libya," Zuma told a news conference during a state visit to Norway on Thursday.
"If any measure of military would be used, it was to help to protect people, as we understood (things, who) could have been killed," he said, explaining why South Africa, a temporary member of the UN Security Council, had voted in favour of the no-fly zone over Libya but opposed Nato air strikes.
"But instead of protecting, it became the bombing, (as) cover for the other group (the rebels) to advance," he said.
Zuma has repeatedly criticised Nato for using the UN resolution to help the rebels against Muammar Gaddafi, and cautioned last week that the Nato-led use of force had undermined Africa's peace efforts.
Making his comments just hours before the opening of the Paris conference organised by France and Britain, which were the driving forces behind the air strikes, Zuma also reiterated that the Libyan reconstruction should be headed by the African Union and the UN.
Within the African Union framework, South Africa, which so far has refused to recognise the National Transitional Council, had attempted in vain to mediate peace between Gaddafi's ousted government and the rebels.
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