UN council turns down a Libyan request
The UN Security Council on Monday turned down a Libyan request for a
special meeting to discuss Western air strikes on the country following
the council's imposition of a no-fly zone, diplomats said.
The council decided instead simply to hold a briefing already planned
for Thursday by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on how the resolution
that set up the zone to protect civilians in Libya's internal conflict
is being implemented.
Strikes were launched over the weekend by US, French and British
warplanes and missiles to disable Libyan air defenses and halt
Government forces closing in on the eastern city of Benghazi and other
centers held by rebels.
Diplomats said Libyan Foreign Minister Moussa Koussa had written to
the council over the weekend requesting that the 15-nation body hold an
emergency session to debate the 'military aggression' against Libya.
China, which holds the council chair this month, called closed-door
council consultations on Monday to consider the letter.
"The council will convene today to receive the report by the
secretary-general about the implementation of Resolution 1973 and will
then discuss the situation in Libya," a council diplomat, speaking on
condition of anonymity, said afterward.
The diplomat said he did not think the council intends to react to
the letter by Koussa, but wants to remain focused on Libya on its own
terms. "Why should the council meet now? Why shouldn't it wait until it
has proper information from the secretary-general?" the diplomat asked.
'All necessary measures'
Under the terms of the March 17 resolution, which both clamped a
no-fly zone on Libya and authorized "all necessary measures" to protect
civilians, Ban was required to report back to the council within a week
on its implementation.
Diplomats said Thursday's meeting was likely to be closed.
Ban will just have returned from visits to Libya's neighbours Egypt
and Tunisia.
The council is far from united over the action on Libya. In last
week's vote, 10 countries supported the resolution and the other five
council members abstained including Russia and China, which, however,
refrained from using their veto power.
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on Monday called the resolution
'defective and flawed' and likened it to medieval calls for crusades, a
term later criticized by Russia President Dmitry Medvedev.
Germany, Brazil and India also abstained.
Arab League chief Amr Moussa suggested on Sunday that the Western
powers' military strikes on Libya had gone too far, but said on Monday
he respected the resolution that imposed the no-fly zone, which the Arab
League itself had called for.
Countries taking part in enforcing the no-fly zone are required to
notify the United Nations. The world body said on Monday it had so far
been notified by Britain, France, United States, Denmark, Canada, Italy
and Qatar.
The Dawn
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