What's In Blue

Posted Tue 3 May 2011

Insights on Libya

The Council will receive a briefing this afternoon, Tuesday 3 May, from the UN Special Envoy for Libya, Abdel-Elah Al-Khatib, followed by closed consultations. The briefing is expected to focus on Al-Khatib’s recent travel to Libya and participation in the meetings of the Libya Contact Group.

Council members discussed in consultations last Thursday (28 April) the importance of receiving regular and timely briefings from Al-Khatib particularly on his interactions with contacts in Tripoli and Benghazi. Council members seem to want to maintain close contact with Al-Khatib and are interested in hearing about possible political solutions, based upon his discussions with both sides in Libya, as well as ways to improve the environment on the ground to enable a resolution to the conflict.

Council members seem to be looking forward to an exchange of views with Al-Khatib on the situation and possible UN actions to find a political solution. It is understood that many Council members will encourage Al-Khatib to maintain as much contact as possible with all sides to the conflict. A formal outcome from the afternoon’s briefing and consultations is not likely.

The Council will receive its first briefing on Libya from the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Luis Moreno-Ocampo, tomorrow Wednesday 4 May. Similar to his regular briefings on the Court’s work in Darfur, it is expected that he will brief the Council with no informal consultations. Following past practice, his briefing is unlikely to be issued as a UN document. In the past his briefings on other situations have been formally issued on the Court’s website.

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