UN extends Libya mission for 3 months at Russia’s insistence

The U.N. Security Council voted to extend its political mission in Libya, but at Russia’s insistence for only three months rather than a year-long mandate.

The council’s three African members abstained to protest Russia’s blocking the longer extension they say is needed to help the divided country move to elections and stability.

Russia’s deputy ambassador, Dmitry Poyansky, reiterated Moscow’s position that the U.N. mission must get a new special representative before it has a longer mandate.

U.N. special envoy Jan Kubis resigned last Nov. 23 after 10 months on the job, and a number of candidates proposed by U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres have been rejected either by council members, Libya or neighboring countries.

After Kubis left, Guterres appointed veteran American diplomat Stephanie Williams, a former U.N. deputy special representative in Libya, as his special adviser. But council diplomats said she is leaving that post Sunday, which means the mission will have no leader as Libyans grapple with a constitutional and political crisis.

Read more via The Independent/AP