UNITED NATIONS, March 16 -- On Libya, Russia offered a ceasefire resolution and offered “Chapter Seven” of the UN Charter, Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin told the Press on Wednesday evening when the UN Security Council meeting ended.
Asked why other Council members did not all agree to the ceasefire proposal, Churkin told the Press that Russia does not describe other countries' positions, and to ask them.
Inner City Press asked US Ambassador Susan Rice to explain opposition to Russia's ceasefire proposal. She said that there was a need for enforcement action, and that a call to end violence was already in the Council's previous Resolution 1970 on Libya.
A Western spokesperson emerged and told the Press that since this earlier Council call for a cessation of violence had no effect, the Russian ceasefire resolution would have sent the wrong signal.
Asked if the US now supports a no fly zone, Rice said the US is looking at a package that includes a no fly zone but goes beyond it.
Rice did not list Arab countries which have offered to enforce a no fly zone. Ibrahim Dabbashi, the diplomat for Libya but not Gadhafi, said there are five such countries.
Inner City Press has heard of four: Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar, whose Permanent Representative and presumptive next President of the UN General Assembly came to visit the Council consultations on Wednesday, accompanied by a bodyguard.
Accused of filibustering, Churkin denied it, saying this is not the US Senate or House of Representatives.
Susan Rice, when asked if Churkin was filabustering to give Gadhafi more time answered, “What do you think?”
To some the proceedings have the aura of a blame game. Russia can now argue that it is not obstructionist, it offered a ceasefire resolution which was rejected.
The US can explain what many saw as its indecisiveness about calling for a no fly zone by saying that it wants MORE than a no fly zone.
And if Russia somehow blocks such a proposal -- the deployment of a veto seems unlikely -- the US could blame Russia for being obstructionist.
In the background, countries like India and even Germany have expressed reservations or questions about a no fly zone.
For now, Council members' experts will convene Thursday at 9 am, the Permanent Representative at 11 am. But what will happen in the next 13 hours in Libya? Watch this site.
