The United States has scuttled a bid by Libya to secure a non-permanent seat on the United Nations (UN) Security Council for a two-year term starting next year, a senior administration official said on Friday.
Under a complex compromise worked out with the cooperation of West African friends of the United States, the seat sought by Libya will go instead to Algeria, the official said.
The Arab seat on the council alternates at two-year intervals between a Middle Eastern country and a North African country.
Syria’s two-year term expires at the end of the year, meaning that it will be North Africa’s turn starting in January.
Several years ago, the United States was able to derail the Security Council candidacy of Sudan, listed by the State Department as a sponsor of international terrorism, much like Libya.
The main argument the administration used against Libya was that it technically remains under UN sanctions and therefore is not an appropriate candidate for a Security Council seat, the official said.
Sanctions against Libya stemming from the 1988 Pan Am 103 bombing were suspended four years ago but have not been lifted. A Libyan intelligence agent was convicted in the bombing.
The sanctions will remain on the books until Libya accepts responsibility for the bombing and meets several other conditions imposed by the Security Council.
The Bush administration was less successful earlier this year when it attempted to prevent Libya from being elected to chair the annual meeting of the UN Human Rights Commission in Geneva.
Libya was the choice of the commission’s Africa bloc for the post. The Bush administration objected but only two countries joined the United States when the issue was put to a vote.
Thirty-three countries supported Libya’s candidacy and 17 abstained.
African nations clearly have a different view of Libya than does the United States. Libya has provided assistance to African friends in need and also has financed several African summit meetings over the past several years.
Beyond that, Libyan leader Moammar Gadaffi has been trying to shed his image, widely held in the West, as a leader who sees violence as a legitimate tool of statecraft. – Sapa-AP