On
Libya Guards,
ICP Asks If
Peacekeepers,
UN Says No,
Still Needs
Approval
By
Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS,
December 2 --
On Libya,
while the UN
Security
Council did
not
meet about the
killing of
civilians by
militias in
Tripoli, six
days ago they
heard a
proposal from
Secretary
General Ban
Ki-moon for
235 security
officers to
protect the UN
Mission there,
UNSMIL.
Inner
City Press
covered that
closed door
meeting, and
the next day
asked
the Council's
then-presidency,
China, about
the status.
The Chinese
Ambassador replied
that he had
just signed
the approval
letter.
But
earlier today
alongside
Inner City
Press' exclusive
report on
layoffs
in UN Security,
none of the
officials
Inner City
Press spoke
with
knew of the
Libyan
security
mission or if
it could be a
place laid
off UN
Security staff
could apply to
serve.
So
at today's
noon briefing,
Inner City
Press asked
about the new
Libya
mission, and
afterward Ban's
spokesperson's
office sent
Inner City
Press this:
Subject:
Press
release from
the UN Support
Mission in
Libya (UNSMIL)
on a
guard team for
its
headquarters
To:
Matthew.Lee
[at]
innercitypress.com
From: UN
Spokesperson -
Do Not Reply
[at]
un.org
Date: Mon, Dec
2, 2013 at
1:17 PM
Clarification
by
the United
Nations
Support
Mission in
Libya On the
Allocation of
a
Guard Team for
its
Headquarters
in Tripoli
Tripoli,
28
November 2013-
The
United
Nations
Security
Council has
given initial
approval to
the
request of the
United Nations
Secretary
General
regarding the
enhancement of
the protection
of the United
Nations
Support
Mission
in Libya
(UNSMIL)
through a
dedicated
guard team for
its
headquarters
in Tripoli.
This team
should not
exceed 235
elements,
including a
number of
administrative
and services
staff. The
functions of
aforementioned
team shall be
limited to the
protection of
the office
and
accommodation
premises
occupied by
UNSMIL staff
members. The
scope of its
work shall not
exceed the
perimeters of
UNSMIL
headquarters.
The
Mission
had already
informed the
competent
Libyan
authorities
that it
is in the
process of
preparing for
this measure,
which was
discussed
by the
Security
Council. Once
all needed
measures are
finalized, and
as per the
applicable
international
customs and
principles,
the
United Nations
shall send an
official
letter in
which it will
inform
the Libyan
authorities of
those measure
seeking
necessary
approval.
The
Mission
reiterates
that the guard
team will not
be tasked with
any
role beyond
the function
for which it
was
established,
and that the
formation of
such team is a
common
practice
adopted by
international
organizations
and embassies
in a large
number of
countries for
ensuring the
safety of its
staff and
premises.
So
perhaps UN
Security
doens't know
about these
posts because,
despite
Security
Council
approval, it
has not yet
been approved
by the Libyan
authorities.
Earlier, when
Inner City
Press first
published then
UN
official Ian
Martin's plan
for Libya
including 200
armed staff,
the
Libyan
authorities
balked and it
went nowhere.
Now
they will
accept these
235? Watch
this site.
, 
