Libya at UNSC unopposed

by rahul | October 17, 2007 at 08:07 am

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After failed attempts in 1995 and 2000, Libya has been elected as a non-permanent seat of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) with 178 votes of a 192-member General Assembly. This unopposed election on Tuesday 16 October 2007, shows a rather slow process of Libyan inclusion into the international arena. For many years, the US blocked any Libyan aspiration at the UNSC. Things have certainly changed. The UN lifted its sanctions against Libya in 2003. US resumed full diplomatic relations in 2004 . Few months ago, US President George Bush appointed Gene Cretz as Ambassador to Libya. Even Libyan participation in the Lockerbie affair in 1998 is somehow in doubt after new evidence has allowed its main accused, Abdel Basset Ali-Megrahi, to ask for a revision of the case; nevertheless, Tripoli has agreed to pay for handsome compensation. Libya is hosting Darfur peace talks soon.In a most internationally publicized move, Tripoli decided to condone and release five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor accused of deliberately infecting Libyan children at a Benghazi hospital. On Monday 15 October 2007, Libyan and British Stock Exchange Markets signed a cooperation agreement.

Oil bonanza has also brought improvements in Libya’s landscape. The Green Revolution goes on as many Libyans further their education and gain access to better social and health services. The Great man-made river goes on as planned. And Business is booming; Italian Oil Company, ENI just had its contract renewed for another 10 years. Many cities have a distinct sign on their wall: Demolition. New housing and tourist development would take their place.

Politically, there is also a rejuvenating force in the Libyan social body. It is led by the son of the Great Jamahiriya Leader Muammar Gaddafi, Saif Al-Islam Gaddafi, who has given a new pace to the modernization drive in the country. In August 2007, he called for an independent media, strengthening of the power of the Secretary of the General people´s committee (Prime Minister)and the independence of the Libyan Central Bank. There is a discussion going on in order to design a new form of contract or constitution for the organization of the Libyan People. This is perceived as a furthering of Direct Democracy which is unique to Libyan society.

Sources: LJBC,BBC, Aljazeera,GDF,Tripoli Post (163-164 issues), NYT, PressTV,Telegraph, Times of India