Britain is considering whether to evacuate its nationals from Libya, Foreign Secretary William Hague said on Monday.
"We want to see proper protection for foreign nationals in Libya and in particular assistance for them as they are trying to leave the country... Those who are able to leave safely should leave by commercial means. That situation is constantly under review. We will assess the need for evacuations as things progress," he said.
Reports from Libya suggest that over 200 people have been killed by government forces since protests against the country's longtime leader Muammar Gaddafi began last week. Unrest started in the west of the country, but has now spread to the capital, Tripoli.
"The credibility of the Libyan government in these matters has been undermined so far by the failure to protect their own people and to respond to the legitimate grievances of the people in Libya," Hague added.
British Prime Minister David Cameron, who is in Egypt as part of a tour of the Gulf region, on Monday condemned the "completely appalling" violence carried out by the Libyan regime, the Sky News TV channel reported. Cameron accused Gaddafi's government of employing "the most vicious form of repression" against its people.
International organization Human Rights Watch has reported 233 people killed since the beginning of the Libyan tumult. The authorities say there are 84 dead.
LONDON, February 21 (RIA Novosti)
