Libyan regime demands UN suspend sanctions

Muammar Gaddafi's regime on Friday demanded that the UN Security Council suspend sanctions taken against the Libyan leader over his crackdown on opposition protests, AFP reports.

A letter sent to the UN Security Council said that only "a modicum" of force has been used against opposition demonstrators and that the government was "taken aback" by the sanctions.

The regime called for the travel ban and assets freeze ordered again Gaddafi and his entourage "to be suspended until such time as the truth is established."

It demanded that the Security Council "stand up to the states that are threatening force against it.”

The letter, sent to the UN Security Council by Musa Mohammad Kusa, head of the Libyan People's Committee for External Relations, was the first official reaction communicated to the United Nations.

Rights groups say 6000 people have been killed since protests against Gaddafi erupted on February 15. The United Nations says more than 1000 have died.

The letter said "no opposition has been raised to peaceful unarmed demonstrators", and security forces had only acted against "subversive acts."