Libya Could Ask NATO To End Mission By Next Week

The new government of Libya might ask the UN Security Council to put an end to NATO’s enforcement of a no fly zone as early as next week, says Libyan ambassador to the United Nations Ibrahim Dabbashi.

Dabbashi told the UN Security Council today that while the National Transitional Council continues to evaluate Libya’s security situation, he expects the new government to make a formal announcement regarding NATO’s mission before the end of the month.

“The Libyan people is looking forward to termination of the no fly zone over Libya as well as terminating the mandate accorded by Security Council resolution 1973 to protect civilians as soon as possible. In accordance with the initial assessments, October 31 is a logical date to terminate this mandate.” he said.

One of the first Libyan diplomats to denounce the Gaddafi regime crackdown against protests earlier this year, Dabbashi was instrumental in getting the Security Council to back military action in Libya.
Today, the Libyan Ambassador thanked Council members for their “indispensable” support in enforcing the no fly zone and protecting civilians, but said that now that the NTC has declared “liberation”, prolonging NATO’s mission would undermine Libyan sovereignty.

“Our people by nature hate any interference in its sovereignty.” he told the Council. “Everyday that passes with the foreign sovereignty over our space is a derogation of our sovereignty. This is particularly so after the declaration of liberation made on the 23rd of this month.”

The NTC declaration of liberation is meant to mark the beginning of  Libya’s political transition and Dabbashi says he expects an interim government would be set up in the next two weeks.

The Libyan Ambassador also said there would be a transparent investigation of the circumstances surrounding Gaddafi’s death and any other possible human rights abuse allegations against rebel forces.

Last week, UN human rights officials said there should be an investigation into the Libyan strongman’s death after several video’s showed him being captured alive by rebel fighters.

Dabbashi said that initial reports confirmed Gaddafi had died from wounds sustained in a firefight between regime loyalists and rebels, and had not been shot after being detained by NTC forces.

UN Approves Mission To Libya, Recognizes NTC As Interim Government

The UN Security Council has unanimously agreed to send an assistance mission to Libya and to start rolling back some of the weapons and financial sanctions imposed against Libyan companies and the former Gaddafi government.

At the request of Libya’s National Transitional Council(NTC), the mission will be limited to providing political assistance on issues like election preparation, transitional justice and national reconciliation for an initial three month mandate. 

Security Council diplomats said provisions authorizing NATO air strikes to protect civilian populations and the implementation of a No Fly Zone would remain in the resolution until conditions on the ground allowed for them to be lifted.

The Security Council resolution also lifts all sanctions against Libyan oil companies, by far the country’s most profitable industry.

Earlier today, the General Assembly voted to recognize members of the National Transitional Council as Libya’s official representatives to the UN by a vote 114-17, with 15 abstentions.

Several Latin American and African countries voted against the move and accused Western powers of ignoring ceasefire negotiations between parties and violating the Security Council’s “protection of civilians “ mandate in its attempts to overthrow the Gaddafi regime. 

Ban Urges Security Council to Set Libya Mission

UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon has asked the Security Council to establish a UN Mission in Libya, where months of fighting between Gaddafi loyalists and NATO backed rebels seem to be coming to a close. 

Ban is on an official visit to Australia, but his Special Envoy for Libya Ian Martin briefed the Security Council in closed door consultations this afternoon. 

Libya’s National Transitional Council (NTC) leadership has already said it does not want a UN peacekeeping force or even unarmed military observers in the country, but was looking for help from the world body with the eventual planning of an election and the creation of a transitional justice system.

Martin told reporters afterwards the Secretary General had proposed an initial short term UN support mission of three month to Libya, which would work to advise and assist the NTC on pressing issues, as well as discuss a more long term UN presence. 

The UN Envoy for Libya said the NTC’s was also now discussing how to best integrate remnants of the Gaddafi government and security forces into rebel forces. 

“The approach that they are taking is to, at this stage, tell the very top echelon of the military, the police, the civil service to remain at home, while decisions are taken as to which of them should and should not be part of the future.But so far as all other levels of the administration and the police and the military are concerned, they remain in place.” 

Martin said the main challenge facing the NTC would be to bring all militias and rebel groups under a single command 

“The issue of armed groups is not so much those who were within the ranks of official state employees but those who have taken up arms during the conflict.”