UN denies that UNSMIL head Martin Kobler was blocking HoR vote on GNA

In an email to the Libya Observer, the Media Office of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) denied HoR member Ibrahim Zagaid's claim that Kobler had ordered the HoR not to vote on the UN-brokered Government of National Accord (GNA)

The Observer had reported Zagaid's claim the other day. I discussed the issue in a recent article. Zagaid claimed the vote in the internationally-recognized House or Representatives (HoR) would be held on January 25, just before the deadline for the vote of confidence in the GNA to be held. The term of the GNA does not begin until then.

According to the Observer, a spokesperson for the UN Support Mission in Libya(UNSMIL) told them: "The claim that Mr. Kobler has instructed the House of Representatives not to convene is absolutely false and baseless.The Special Representative is exerting all possible efforts to convince the House of Representatives’ members to meet as soon as possible in order to endorse the new Government of National Accord."The Special Representative is Martin Kobler. The Observer calls the assertions a refutation of Zagaid's claims but they seem more accurately described as counter-claims. Kobler has said nothing about any efforts he has been making to have a vote take place. He claims a majority of the HoR are in favor of the GNA. The president of the HoR who was said to be blocking a vote earlier is now in favor of the GNA. Who is it exactly who is preventing a vote? Kobler is issuing news release after news release about how he is trying to get more parties to support the GNA. Why does he tell us nothing about his efforts to ensure there is a quorum at HoR meetings so there can be a vote? I note that while the UN sent an email to the Observer and had a spokesperson speak to them, there is nary a word about denying these charges on the UN website. Perhaps the UN is trying to restrict news coverage of the issue.

The GNC appears to be directing its attention to social and economic issues instead of the GNA. However, once the GNA comes into existence and takes over control of the Central Bank and National Oil Company there will be no revenues coming to the GNC. The president of the GNC perhaps realizes this as he has reportedly gone to Turkey for talks with Faiez Serraj the prime minister designate of the GNA.

Although the GNA should in theory function only after it has a vote of confidence, it has already issued three decrees, the first of them dealing with temporary security arrangements. Kobler praises the decision in a news release: The Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG) and head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), Martin Kobler, welcomes the Presidency Council’s decision (1/2016) to establish a Temporary Security Committee to facilitate the implementation of the security arrangements outlined in the Libyan Political Agreement.

As usual, Kobler provides no details and does not bother giving English readers the names of those on the committee or who they are, but Libyans know.

Apparently there has been negative reaction to the decrees but the discussion is still mostly within the Twitter sphere and from Arabic TV and other news sources. Rami Musa, a Libyan journalist, has several tweets on this issue: Rami Musa ‏@RamiRMusa 4h4 hours ago

Eastern #Libya #HOR members reject the first decrees issued by #LibyaGNA.This points to division within even the HoR supporters but there is also division within the GNA itself: Ali Qatrani #LibyaGNA member voices his rejection to the 1 decree issued by gov as no consensus/voting took place.Finally, the Tripoli government has reacted negatively to the security arrangements:Rami Musa ‏@RamiRMusa 6h6 hours ago

#Tripoli gov PM & Defence ministry think appointment of Security committee will lead to further violence in #Libya

Kobler has no comment on any of this, but continues the habitual UN reaction to inconvenient facts. Ignore them.

Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/news/politics/un-denies-that-martin-kobler-is-blocking-confidence-vote-on-gna/article/454825#ixzz3xWmecMTZ