Netherlands releases frozen Gadhafi funds to WHOAugust 16, 2011 - 13:46 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - The Dutch government has agreed to release frozen funds from Moammar Gadhafi's regime to the World Health Organization to buy medicine for the Libyan population as fighting rages on across the country, Deutsche Welle reported. The funds worth 100 million euros ($141 million) had been frozen as part of sanctions against Libya's embattled leader. They were released Monday, August 15, however, after the WHO appealed to Western governments to free up the frozen money to alleviate shortages in medicine and medical supplies. The Netherlands was the first country to release the funds after the WHO said the shortages were putting lives at risk. "Sanctions should squeeze the regime and the population should not be the victim of this. That is precisely what is happening now: frozen money from Gadhafi will be used to save Libyan lives," said Dutch Foreign Minister Uri Rosenthal in a statement. In total, the Dutch government has 3 billion euros in frozen Libyan funds. The UN sanctions committee granted the release of the initial 100 million, but it was unclear on Tuesday whether the Netherlands would opt to release more. Last month the WHO warned that many hospitals had been damaged by the six-month conflict. Coupled with the exodus of migrant nurses and the shortage of medicine there had been a "collapse of the primary health care network," the organization warned. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Opposition motorcade en route to Gyumri for large rally A motorcade of protesters headed by Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan is heading to the city of Gyumri. Ruling MPs, Foreign Minister talk Armenia-Azerbaijan processes MOs from the ruling Civil Contract party met with the Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan in the Armenian parliament. Russia: Armenia’s frozen membership weakens CSTO position in Caucasus A Russian envoy said any step that could alienate the CSTO member states from each other is “deeply wrong”. Prosecutors to appeal Armenia ex-President’s acquittal Sargsyan was acquitted on Friday, May 31 more than four years after going on trial on corruption charges. |