By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, September 9 -- UN adviser on "post conflict" Libya Ian Martin briefed the Security Council on Friday and then took questions from the Press.
Inner City Press asked Martin if he wants to become the Special Representative for Libya, if that requires the National Transitional Council's consent, and what has happened to UN mediator Al Khatib.
Of those three questions, Martin's only answer was that it is up the the Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon. A well placed Council source told Inner City Press that while "the "Brit" Martin is the front runner, another UN official from the UK, Michael Williams, might also be considered, as well as Oscar Fernandez Taranco. Al Khatib, the source said, is entirely out of the picture.
Inner City Press asked Martin if the training of police he described would be done by member states, or regional groups, or UN staff themselves.
Martin said the UN is meeting with "actors" interested in training police in Libya. After the stakeout Inner City Press asked him if these actors included member states. Yes, Martin said, and the European Union. Inner City Press asked, "The Finns?" He said yes.
Martin and Lynn Pascoe briefed the Security Council on a three month mission plan by Secretary General Ban Ki-moon which the UN withheld for 14 hours after Inner City Press published it on Thursday night.
At Friday's noon briefing, another correspondent asked why the UN had not released, since it was already on InnerCityPress.com. The Deputy Spokesman said he didn't know; twenty minutes later, the UN belatedly put it online. Thus is transparency at the UN.
The next step will be circulation as early as Monday of a resolution being drafted by the UK, about the mission and about removing some sanctions. Libya Sanctions Committee chairman Cabral told Inner City Press that travel bans on individuals would remain, and that some institutions are not yet under the full control of the NTC. UK Permanent Representative Lyall Grant said it will be important in revising sanctions to make sure all money goes to the Libyan people.
A European spokesman afterward said that the mandate of NATO will not be impacted, it has no sunset. Watch this site.
