Security Council Resolves to Enforce No-Fly Zone

In the early evening of March 17th, the Security Council voted 10 to 0 in favour of resolution 1973, which establishes a no-fly zone over Libya and permits a military intervention as long as no foreign ground forces are sent in.

The resolution was tabled by France in conjunction with Lebanon and the UK. They cited the Libyan government's refusal to respect Resolution 1970, which had demanded an end to aggression against civilians; the General Assembly's decision to vote Libya out of the Human Rights Council; the resolution's provisions safeguarding the territorial integrity of Libya; the worsening circumstances in the country; and a consensus within the Arab League as well as the African Union that a no-fly zone was needed. Members of the Arab League had volunteered the means to help enforce the zone.

Muammar Gaddafi had announced his intention to mount an overpowering military assault on Benghazi, which is under the control of the rebels, earlier in the day.

Germany, India, Russia, China and Brazil cast the abstaining votes. Their delegates criticized the imprecise language and open questions in the resolution, declared their opposition to force, remarked that the resolution had ventured beyond what proponents in the Arab League of a no-fly zone had envisioned, and pointed out the possibility that the military and even the economic provisions would affect Libyan citizens badly.

The resolution extends the financial sanctions and travel bans of Resolution 1970, implements searches of ships and planes which are intended to prevent the use of mercenaries by the pro-Gaddafi army, and asks for a ceasefire. Security Council members also mentioned that they hoped that it would further pave the way for bringing humanitarian aid into the country.

After the session the UK's delegate stated that Downing Street 10 does not recognize the rebel council because the council is a government and not a state. He refused to name the Arab countries that would be part of the military intervention but did announce that the Prime Minister will address the House of Commons regarding the question on Friday.

The former Libyan ambassador to the UN, who had broken all ties with Tripoli weeks earlier and was consequently disavowed by the government, said,

It is a clear message to the Libyan people that they are not alone; that the international community is with them and will help them to protect themselves

and that

there is no place for dictatorships, no place for killing people, and no place for atrocities or mass killing.

In addition he expressed the hope that supporters of Gaddafi would switch sides due to the developments and predicted that the resolution would bring hope to eastern Libya.

A reporter asked whether rapid special forces operations would be permitted under the resolution. The ex-ambassador replied that in situations where, for instance, a pilot must be rescued swiftly, such an operation is permitted by international law in any case; otherwise such interventions are not expected.

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[The preceding information is taken from my notes during a live webcast of the Security Council session and the statements and questions at the Council's media stakeout afterwards. So the quotations may not be verbatim.]

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Further reading: Security Council Resolution 1973 [Guardian.co.uk]