New US sanctions targeted at Libyan leader Gadhafi

International pressure is rising on Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi to step down.

U.S. President Barack Obama in a phone conversation with German Chancellor Angela Merkel Saturday discussed how to handle the Libyan crisis. Obama said Gadhafi has lost the legitimacy to rule and should step down immediately to do the right thing for his nation.

With fears eased after the evacuation of all Americans from Libya Friday, the U.S. is stepping up sanctions on the North African country. All American diplomats were evacuated from Libya the same day and the U.S. Embassy in Tripoli was closed, suspending diplomatic affairs in Libya.

Obama signed an executive order Friday night to freeze U.S.-based assets of Gadhafi and his four children.

The U.S. Treasury Department ordered U.S. banks to closely monitor improper financial transactions, including asset misappropriation, leaks and concealment of national wealth, in individual financial accounts held by top Libyan government officials. The State Department canceled U.S. visas of ranking Libyan officials and their direct relatives.

Washington is also reportedly considering the freezing of overseas assets owned by the Gadhafi administration and the declaration of all of Libya as a no-fly zone.

The Washington Post said Obama ordered his administration to cancel all military contacts with Tripoli.

The U.N. Security Council voted unanimously Saturday to impose sanctions including travel bans and asset freezing on Gadhafi, his five children and 10 key aides, and an immediate halt to arms trade against Libya. The council also urged the International Court of Justice to hold an immediate investigation into Tripoli’s bloody attacks against Libyan protestors.

Critics, however, questioned the effectiveness of these measures under the dire situation.

After convening an emergency meeting of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization represented by chiefs of permanent missions in Brussels Friday, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said in a statement that NATO will keep close watch on the Libyan situation and continue discussing with other international organizations to cope with a crisis situation.

He hinted at NATO’s possible military involvement in Libya. Amid this development, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will hold talks with Obama Monday on resolving the Libyan situation.

yhchoi65@donga.com