Taipei, March 22 (CNA) The only Taiwanese businessman left in Libya, where Western coalition forces started launching air strikes over the weekend, insisted on staying in the North African country to protect his business and employees, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said Tuesday.
MOFA spokesman James Chang said his ministry has been in close, daily contact with the lone Taiwanese holdout and has urged him to leave the country since late February, when the situation in the North African nation began deteriorating.
"He was reluctant to leave the country where he has operated his factory for more than three decades and insisted on staying to protect his more than 300 employees, " Chang said.
The businessman also said the situation on the outskirts of Libya's capital, Tripoli, where his factory is located, appears secure.
However, Chang went on, MOFA is ready to provide assistance if he decides to return to Taiwan.
Taiwan also urged Libya to respect the United Nations Security Council resolution, which mandates Gadhafi stop military action against his own people, or face a U.N. sanctioned no-fly zone, which authorizes "all necessary measures" to protect civilian areas and prevent Gadhafi from using Libyan airspace, said Chang.
President Ma Ying-jeou has also expressed concern over the safety of overseas Taiwanese in North Africa and the Middle East in a meeting with the National Security Council on Monday.
All Taiwan nationals, including diplomats, have been evacuated from Libya, where a rebellion has broken out against the country's dictator since mid-February. (By Chris Wang) enditem/ly