NATO's UN Mandate in Libya To Expire Monday

The United Nations Security Council today agreed to lift its mandate authorizing military action in Libya, ending the UN-backed NATO mission to the country on October 31 2011.

The decision comes after Libya’s rebel forces declared liberation late last week and are currently in the process of forming a transitional government. Yesterday, Libya’s representative at the UN Ibrahim Dabbashi said his country supported the October 31 end date, but asked Council members to wait until his government had finished evaluating Libya’s security situation before making a final decision.

The extent to which the international community and Western countries will help Libya deal with security concerns after more than eight months of civil strife remains unclear. British Ambassador Mark Lyall Grant confirmed that his government was in talks about providing security assistance to Libya’s National Transitional Council, but said the forms that assistance might take had yet to be determined.

The Security Council passed resolution 1973 in March after Col. Gaddafi promised large scale military action against towns and villages that had fallen in the hands of anti-government protesters. The resolution allowed for airstrikes to protect civilian populations under the threat of attack, but held provisions against the deployment of foreign troops on the ground.

But NATO’s implementation of the resolution has been criticized by Council members like Russia and South Africa, who say it exceeded its protection of civilian mandate by arming rebels and aiming to overthrow the Gaddafi regime.

Earlier this month, Russia used its veto to block a resolution condemning Syrian government violence against civilians, arguing that the Libyan resolution had raised important concerns about the implementation and interpretation of Council actions.

Russia’s UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin today welcomed the decision to end NATO’s mandate, but said the Council had to learn from its mistakes in Libya if it wanted member states to work closely together in the future.

“We believe that numerous violations of resolution 1973 have taken place in the course of the past few months, we have repeatedly discussed that in the Security Council,” he told reporters outside the Council. “We’ve had a number of grievances we continue to have them in terms of the effectiveness and legality of the work of the Security Council.”

US Ambassador Susan Rice defended NATO’s interpretation of the UN mandate and dismissed any link between the Syrian and Libyan situations.

“The effort to use Libya as an excuse not to act in other contexts is not a fair one or an accurate one. It was very clear, as we discussed and negotiated resolution 1973 what the authorization of the use of force to protect civilians would entail.” she said “Undoubtedly as this unfolded and occurred over the course of some months, there were those that found increasingly uncomfortable what it was they had agreed to. But to suggest somehow they were mislead, is false.”

UN:Tough Road Ahead After Historic Day for Libya

Muammar Gaddafi’s death is a historic moment for Libya, marking “the end of the beginning” of the country’s transition and a chance for all parties in the conflict to lay down their weapons says UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon.

“Now is the time for all Libyans to come together. Libyans can only realize the promise of the future through national unity and reconciliation. Combatants on all sides must lay down their arms in peace.” Ban said before his opening address at a UN panel on global sustainability. 

Ian Martin, the Secretary General’s special representative for Libya told to reporters via video conference from Tripoli that the formation of an interim government and election preparations are expected to begin once the National Transitional Council formally declares liberation, which NTC officials have reportedly set for Friday.

The NTC has already indicated it wants the UN’s help to create a transitional justice system and national reconciliation initiatives.

 After decades of Gaddafi’s rule and month of civil war marked by forced disappearances and summary executions, the extent to which opposition groups will be able to work together remains unclear. 

“No one should underestimate in this moment of celebration in Libya how great are the challenges that lie ahead.” Martin said.“With the history that Libya is today coming out of, nobody should be surprised when this turns out to be a difficult challenge for its new leaders.”

Martin says considerations of amnesty will not be extended by the NTC or UN to former Gaddafi officials accused of war crimes or other grave offenses. Earlier this year, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Col. Gaddafi, his son Saif and spy chief Abdullah al-Senussi. Several media reports indicate al-Senussi and another Gaddafi son, Mutassim, were killed in the battle for Sirte. Martin was unable to confirm Saif’s whereabouts or if Mutassim and al-Senussi were alive. 

Martin says he has no information about the events surrounding Col. Gaddafi’s death but was expecting to be briefed by the National Transitional Council.

South African Ambassador: NATO Making Things Worse In Libya

NATO’s military campaign in Libya has worsened the plight of the civilian population and has yet to provide a longterm solution to the crisis, says South Africa’s Ambassador to the United Nations.

In a Security Council briefing earlier today, Ambassador Baso Sangqu argued that NATO has done little to stabilize the current situation in Libya and that the mission had in fact led to an increase in civilian casualties.

“This meeting takes place exactly one hundred days after the start of the NATO aerial bombardment in Libya. Despite this military action, there has not been a solution to the Libyan crisis, and the situation has in fact deteriorated with more loss of civilian lives and massive destruction of infrastructure.”

Sangqu says the NATO mission has gone well beyond the mandate of the Security Council Resolution 1973, which called for the implementation of a no fly zone and allowed for air strikes against Gaddafi forces.

“When South Africa voted in favor of Resolution 1973, our intention was to ensure the protection of civilians as well as unhindered access to humanitarian aid to those who desperately need it.” said Sanggu, “a political, rather than a military, solution is the only way in which peace can be achieved in Libya.”

South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma last week accused NATO of using Resolution 1973 to encourage regime change at the expense of civilian protection. “We have spoken out against the misuse of the good intentions in Resolution 1973,” he said. “We strongly believe that the resolution is being abused for regime change, political assassinations and foreign military occupation.”

In a meeting yesterday in Pretoria, African Union officials reiterated their concern over the continued the NATO-led airstrikes, and once again called on Gaddafi and rebel forces to implement an immediate ceasefire. 

AU officials released a statement arguing only a political solution could “sustainably settle the current conflict.”

Earlier today, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Gaddafi, his son Saif al-Islam, and a top military intelligence official.

It is unclear what effect the warrants will have on attempts at negotiating a political solution to the conflict. The ICC decision was welcomed by top NATO officials, and seems to indicate the organization continues to be determined to remove Gaddafi from power. 

Libyan Ambassador Pleads for Help from Security Council

The Libyan ambassador to the United Nations pleaded with the Security Council to take action against his own country, in an emotional address this afternoon.

Ambassador Mohamed Shalgham called on the world body to take the necessary action to stop violent attacks against protesters and civilians in his country.

“Please United Nations, save Libya. No to bloodshed. No to killing of innocents. We want a decisive , rapid and courageous resolution from you.” Shalgham told Council members. 

In a rarely seen show of solidarity at the Security Council, foreign diplomats hugged and embraced the Libyan Ambassador after his speech. Earlier in the week, Shalgham had been lukewarm in his criticism of Gaddafi, but on Friday he said could no longer support the Libyan leader. 

“It cannot continue. You cannot be a leader, or a king, or a president while you are killing your people just for saying I want to be free! It is not a crime to say I want to be free!” he told reporters afterwards.

Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, who spoke to Gaddafi for over 40 minutes on Monday, said he doubted the Libyan strongman would respond positively to the international community’s calls for restraint and said he hoped the Council would act quickly. 

“I urge the Security Council to consider the wide range of options for action.  Those include proposals for trade and financial sanctions, including targeted measures against the leadership such as a ban on travel and the freezing of financial assets.” said Ban, adding that some Security Council members had also called for an arms embargo. 

However some have argued that such measures would not have the immediate affect of halting the violence that, according to the United Nations, has claimed the lives of over 1 000 people and is reportedly still carrying on through out the country.

French Ambassador Gerard Arnaud told reporters that at this stage, a military operation was not on the table.

The Security Council will meet on Saturday morning to continue discussing specific measures to be included in the resolution.

Ban Tells Libya To Cease Firing On Civilians

Violence against civilians in Libya must stop and those responsible for the attacks must be held responsible in courts of law says United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon.

“The reported nature and scale of attacks on civilians are egregious violations of international humanitarian and human rights law.“ the Secretary General told reporters this afternoon. “Those responsible for brutally shedding the blood of innocents must be punished” 

Ban cut short an official trip to Los Angeles today,  returning to UN headquarters in New York to discuss the situation in Libya with his senior advisors.

Earlier in the day the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) , an international body that counts Libya as a member, announced it will hold a Special Session on the situation in Libya on Friday. This will be the first time a special session is convened to discuss the human rights situation in UNHRC member state.  

Ban said he welcomed UNHRC’ Special Session as well as the possible creation of an international inquiry into the reported attacks and violence that have so far forced thousands of Libyan to flee the country. 

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs(OCHA) was able to confirm that at least 5 000 people have arrived along the border with Tunisia and 15 000 more at the crossing with Egypt. 

Italy’s Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said earlier today his country is concerned the collapse of the regime in Libya could lead to a massive influx of immigrants, estimating that anywhere between 200 000 to 300 000 could seek refuge in Italy in the near future. 

Secretary General Ban Ki Moon says the UN refugee agency has appealed to countries in Europe and North Africa not to return those fleeing violence and repression in Libya.