United Nations, Jan 4 (Prensa Latina) The president of the Security Council in January, Libyan Ambassador to the UN Giadallah A. Ettalhi, announced the work schedule for that period, during which “a great challenge” will be met.
Libya, a country that was subject to sanctions until recently, took over the temporary presidency of the UN Security Council on January 1, two months after its election as a nonpermanent member of that UN body.
“It is a very important and challenging task,” the Libyan ambassador, who will chair the Council’s debates on burning issues such as the situation in the Middle East, told reporters.
Other matters to be debated in January are nonproliferation, an issue that the United States uses to attack Iran’s nuclear program with peaceful ends.
In that regard, the Libyan ambassador pointed out that his country has good relations with Iran and current ties between Tripoli and Washington are undergoing a process of normalization “in the right direction.”
According to the schedule presented by the Libyan diplomat, the Security Council will debate a report on the deployment of the UN-African Union Joint Mission in Darfur (UNAMID).
Difficulties to complete the 26,000 troops of that joint force, which still lacks such equipment as helicopters, are preventing UNAMID from creating an atmosphere of security for a peace settlement in that Sudanese province.
It is a very important issue during Libya’s presidency of the Security Council, due to Tripoli’s efforts to facilitate direct peace talks between the Sudanese government and rebel groups in Darfur.
Ambassador Ettalhi, who was appointed Libya’s ambassador to the UN nine months ago, said that the Security Council would also debate a report on the UN Administration Mission in the Serbian province of Kosovo.
In that regard, he said that Serbian President Boris Tadic has requested to participate in the debates.