Which Libyans can request UN peacekeepers?
A consensus has developed that if an outside force is to deploy to Libya, it will be organized by the United Nations. And the UN’s point person on Libya, veteran diplomat Ian Martin, made clear today that the new Libyan authorities have expressed no interest in peacekeepers. Via the BBC: "We don’t now expect military ...
A consensus has developed that if an outside force is to deploy to Libya, it will be organized by the United Nations. And the UN's point person on Libya, veteran diplomat Ian Martin, made clear today that the new Libyan authorities have expressed no interest in peacekeepers. Via the BBC:
A consensus has developed that if an outside force is to deploy to Libya, it will be organized by the United Nations. And the UN’s point person on Libya, veteran diplomat Ian Martin, made clear today that the new Libyan authorities have expressed no interest in peacekeepers. Via the BBC:
"We don’t now expect military observers to be requested," [Martin] said after a meeting of the UN Security Council.
"It’s very clear that the Libyans want to avoid any kind of military deployment of the UN or others," he said.
Mr Martin added that one of the greatest challenges for the UN would be helping the country prepare for democratic elections.
For the moment, the situation is straightforward: the UN stands ready to assist if and when Libya’s emerging government requests assistance. There is no appetite at the UN for foisting peacekeepers on the country (although the Security Council certainly has the power to do so). But things may soon become more complicated. As this New York Times account suggests, the rebels are a fractious group that may become more so as they pivot from ousting Gaddafi to apportioning power and responsibility. As individuals and clans jostle for control, it’s very possible that some key Libyans will request peacekeepers that others oppose. At that point, the UN’s job will get much more tricky.
David Bosco is a professor at Indiana University’s Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies. He is the author of The Poseidon Project: The Struggle to Govern the World’s Oceans. Twitter: @multilateralist
More from Foreign Policy
Saudi-Iranian Détente Is a Wake-Up Call for America
The peace plan is a big deal—and it’s no accident that China brokered it.
The U.S.-Israel Relationship No Longer Makes Sense
If Israel and its supporters want the country to continue receiving U.S. largesse, they will need to come up with a new narrative.
Putin Is Trapped in the Sunk-Cost Fallacy of War
Moscow is grasping for meaning in a meaningless invasion.
How China’s Saudi-Iran Deal Can Serve U.S. Interests
And why there’s less to Beijing’s diplomatic breakthrough than meets the eye.
Sign up for Morning Brief
Foreign Policy’s flagship daily newsletter with what’s coming up around the world today. Delivered weekdays.
By submitting your email, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use and to receive email correspondence from us. You may opt out at any time.
