UN seeks quick vote to end Libya no-fly zone
AFP
UNITED NATIONS- The UN Security Council wants to quickly end its authorization for a no-fly zone and NATO action in Libya despite the country's calls for a delay, diplomats said Wednesday.
Many countries on the 15-member council want NATO to stick to its plan to end its Libya mission on October 31 and want a Security Council resolution ending its authorization to be voted through this week.
The United States said separately that talks are being held with the National Transitional Council (NTC) on a possible new role for NATO after the campaign of air strikes that played a key role in the downfall of Moamer Kadhafi.
Libya's interim leader Mustafa Abdel Jalil on Wednesday urged NATO to continue its Libya campaign until the end of the year, and the NTC may formally ask the Security Council to delay a decision, diplomats said.
UN Security Council approval in March for a no-fly zone and military action to protect civilians has caused divisions on the 15-nation body ever since. Russia, China, South Africa, Brazil and India have accused NATO of going beyond the mandate with the air strikes against strongman Moamer Kadhafi.
French ambassador Gerard Araud said a draft Libya resolution should be sent to council members on Thursday and a vote would quickly follow.
"A lot of countries want to put an end to this military operation," said Araud. "The majority of the council want to move forward" with a vote.
He said an October 31 end to the mandate was not certain but very likely, despite the Libyan statements.
Russia's UN ambassador Vitaly Churkin said an extension past October 31 would be "unrealistic."
Following Jalil's comments, Libya's deputy UN envoy Ibrahim Dabbashi told a Security Council meeting that the transitional council may have to ask for an extension of the mandate.
Dabbashi said Libyans were "looking forward to terminating the no-fly zone" and the mandate to protect civilians, but cautioned that Libya's armed forces were not yet ready to take on national security.
The transitional council was also deciding whether the armed forces were capable of monitoring Libya's borders following the end of the Kadhafi regime, he said.
"We wish to ask you not to be hasty in adopting a resolution and we will inform you of the official decision of the NTC, which we hope will be done by the end of this month," Dabbashi told the meeting.
Libya's UN mission had previously written to the Security Council asking for the no-fly zone mandate to end on October 31, diplomats said.
In Washington, US State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said discussions had started at NATO headquarters in Brussels and with the NTC about the end of the UN mandate.
She said the NTC "may foresee a future role for NATO," and that discussions have been held about that as well.
"Some things have been discussed, like support for border security, support for demobilization, decommissioning of weapons, these kinds of things," she said.
NATO "does have quite a bit of experience after the combat phase is over in helping countries around the world, and particularly partner countries, to train and equip their own military, restructure, particularly in the decommissioning of weapons," Nuland said.
Turning the Libyan rebels who ousted Kadhafi, who was killed last week, into a cohesive new force is considered one of the keys to Libya's future stability.
US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said earlier that NATO should take a leading role helping Libya as it moves forwards.
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Libya's interim leader Mustafa Abdel Jalil on Wednesday urged NATO to continue its Libya campaign until the end of the year, and the NTC may formally ask the Security Council to delay a decision, diplomats said.
UN Security Council approval in March for a no-fly zone and military action to protect civilians has caused divisions on the 15-nation body ever since. Russia, China, South Africa, Brazil and India have accused NATO of going beyond the mandate with the air strikes against strongman Moamer Kadhafi.
French ambassador Gerard Araud said a draft Libya resolution should be sent to council members on Thursday and a vote would quickly follow.
"A lot of countries want to put an end to this military operation," said Araud. "The majority of the council want to move forward" with a vote.
He said an October 31 end to the mandate was not certain but very likely, despite the Libyan statements.
Russia's UN ambassador Vitaly Churkin said an extension past October 31 would be "unrealistic."
Following Jalil's comments, Libya's deputy UN envoy Ibrahim Dabbashi told a Security Council meeting that the transitional council may have to ask for an extension of the mandate.
Dabbashi said Libyans were "looking forward to terminating the no-fly zone" and the mandate to protect civilians, but cautioned that Libya's armed forces were not yet ready to take on national security.
The transitional council was also deciding whether the armed forces were capable of monitoring Libya's borders following the end of the Kadhafi regime, he said.
"We wish to ask you not to be hasty in adopting a resolution and we will inform you of the official decision of the NTC, which we hope will be done by the end of this month," Dabbashi told the meeting.
Libya's UN mission had previously written to the Security Council asking for the no-fly zone mandate to end on October 31, diplomats said.
In Washington, US State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said discussions had started at NATO headquarters in Brussels and with the NTC about the end of the UN mandate.
She said the NTC "may foresee a future role for NATO," and that discussions have been held about that as well.
"Some things have been discussed, like support for border security, support for demobilization, decommissioning of weapons, these kinds of things," she said.
NATO "does have quite a bit of experience after the combat phase is over in helping countries around the world, and particularly partner countries, to train and equip their own military, restructure, particularly in the decommissioning of weapons," Nuland said.
Turning the Libyan rebels who ousted Kadhafi, who was killed last week, into a cohesive new force is considered one of the keys to Libya's future stability.
US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said earlier that NATO should take a leading role helping Libya as it moves forwards.
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