Azerbaijan, Baku, Feb. 23 /Trend A. Tagiyeva /
Arab analyst Mahmoud Haidar said that despite the fact that the authorities of the United States and the West have stood by the Libyan people from the beginning of the protests earlier this month, they have long been interested in dividing the country and starting a civil war.
"The authorities of the United States and the West have their own interests, wishing the split of Libya and the civil war," Haidar told Trend over the phone from Beirut.
Protest actions in the Libyan provinces demanding Gaddafi's resignation have been continuing since Feb. 15. The country's authorities suppressed the demonstration.
During the suppression of mass demonstrations in the Libyan city of Benghazi, 560 people were killed, while more than 4,000 people were injured. Officially, authorities confirm the deaths of only 84 people.
The impetus for the demonstrations in Libya was the development in the neighboring Arab countries. Demonstrations and rallies led to a power change in Egypt and Tunisia.
On Tuesday evening, the leader of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Muammar Gaddafi appealed to the people of his country. He said that he will rather become a martyr, than leave Libya.
Gaddafi stressed that the authorities have not used force yet during the recent events in the country, but they can use it in case of necessity. In this regard, Gaddafi called on all citizens to join his supporters, leave their homes and protect stability.
The expert thinks that the United States and the West will be able to fully control the country after Libya splits.
"The U.S. and the West will be able to realize their political and economic plans in the country if Libya splits," he stressed.
The expert said that if the president of Libya Muammar Gaddafi resigns, the country will split. As a result, each of the tribes will pretend for establishing its own state.
"Libya is a country with tribal divisions and differences. Therefore, splitting and uniting in the individual tribal groups threaten the country," he stressed.
He said that the split of Libya will negatively affect the entire region, particularly in neighboring Arab countries where the tribes will begin to demand independence.