At
UN
on Libya, As
Khatib
Resigns, TNC
Wins
Credential,
Dabbashi No
Vote Hope
Dashed, SADC
Deferral
Rejected
By
Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS,
September 16
-- The UN was
loudly abuzz
with Libya on
Friday
morning, while
more quietly
former
mediator Al
Khatib
submitted a
letter of
resignation,
sources told
Inner City
Press.
The
General
Assembly
met on giving
Libya's seat
to the
Transitional
National
Council, over
the objection
of Venezuela
and other
members of the
Grupo ALBA. As
the meeting
began, Inner
City Press
asked TNC
representative
Ibrahim
Dabbashi about
ALBA calling a
vote. "I hope
not," Dabbashi
said, going
into the GA.
Moment
later,
Cuba's
Permanent
Representative
said that NATO
violated
Resolution
1973 and Cuba
does not
recognize the
TNC, product
of "foreign
intervention."
Bolivia echoed
the sentiment,
noting
"racism"
in
developments
under the TNC.
Nicaragua's
representative
said her
country "threw
off the yoke
of Somoza,"
but here NATO
violated
Resolution
1973 pushing
for regime
change "in
the guise of
protecting
civilians."
Angola
then
pointed out
that the rules
require that
requests for
credentials be
made by heads
of state,
heads of
government or
foreign
minister, and
ask who had
made the
request here?
The new
President of
the General
Assembly, from
Qatar, said
there should
be two
speakers on
each side
of this and a
vote.
The
Egyptian
Permanent
Representative,
the same one
who
represented
Mubarak, spoke
in favor of
the TNC.
Zambia
seconded
Angola's
motion; Gabon
went on
the other
side.
When
the vote was
called,
Angola's
motion to
defer lost
with 22 in
favor
(including not
only the ALBAs
but also
Indonesia,
Congo and
others), 107
against,
and 12
abstentions.
St. Vincent
and the
Grenadine
spoke
afterward,
saying it
abstained and
that it and
its sub-region
have not
recognized
the TNC.
Then the TNC
was given the
credential,
with 114 in
favor, 15
abstentions
and 17 against
including the
DRC and
Equatorial
Guinea, whose
golden glasses
Permanent
Representative
spoke
afterward.
(Ex)
"Mediator"
Khatib, Ban
& Martin
on Aug 26, Strohmeyer
not shown
The
Security
Council
scheduled a 3
pm meeting to
vote on
creating the
UN Support
Mission to
Libya,
modifying the
arms embargo -
but keeping
the no fly
zone in place.
South African
Permanent
Representative
Baso Sangqu
told Inner
City Press
there are
still problems
-- not enough
to
protect
African
migrants, for
example. But
other
Ambassadors
said it
was all
systems go.
And,
Inner City
Press learned,
former
mediator Al
Khatib has
submitted a
letter of
resignation,
after being
frozen out.
We'll have
more on this.
, 
