Israel gearing up for Libya's stint as UNSC president

Foreign Ministry's deputy director-general: Israel expects that the door to the president's office will be open to all countries.

By HERB KEINON
UNSC 298.88 (photo credit: AP [file])
UNSC 298.88
(photo credit: AP [file])
Israel expects Libya to act "reasonably" and without "discrimination" when it becomes a member of the Security Council on January 1 and begins a one-month stint as Security Council president, Roni Leshno Ya'ar, the Foreign Ministry's deputy director-general who heads its UN and international organizations division, said Tuesday. "We expect that Libya, as a member of the Security Council, and especially as the president of the council, will work according to customary practice in that body, that is to say reasonably and without discrimination toward all the members, including Israel," Leshno Ya'ar said. Leshno Ya'ar added that Israel expected that the door to the president's office would be open to all countries, including Israel. Libya will be taking over as president at an important juncture, since a third round of sanctions against Iran is expected to come before the council in January. Israel has faced this situation in the past, most recently when Syria became president of the council in 2002. The role of the Security Council president is significant because the president has influence in setting the agenda, and also because the president customarily briefs the media after Security Council deliberations. In addition to Libya and the five permanent members - China, France, Russia, the US and the United Kingdom - the other members of the council for 2008 will be Belgium, Burkina Faso, Costa Rica, Croatia, Indonesia, Italy, Panama, South Africa and Vietnam.