Muammar Gadhafi |
UNITED NATIONS – As New York and New Jersey officials continue to join in an effort to thwart the United Nations visit of Libyan strongman Col. Muammar Gadhafi, the world organization has its own potential complications from the visit.
Due to address the 2009 General Assembly Sept. 23, Gadhafi's U.N. "agenda" has become a headache for U.N. officials.
New York officials confirmed the U.N. administration is less than enthusiastic about the possibility of Gadhafi setting up his traveling "tent" city on the organization's north lawn.
"They have plenty of room," insisted a senior New York official familiar with the Libyans' plans for the Gadhafi visit.
The U.N. is undergoing a major renovation and prefers the Libyans stay away from the construction site. Officials point out that any building activity will be suspended during the general assembly debate.
Michael Adlerstein, the U.N. official overseeing the construction, has been silent on the Gadhafi visit.
Then comes the issue of just what will the mercurial colonel do while at United Nations headquarters?
Officially, he is only scheduled to address the general assembly on the morning of Sept. 23 – right after President Obama.
That's where the potential complications begin.
Libya's former foreign minister, Ali Treki, is the general assembly president and will preside over the so-called "general debate."
But it's possible Gadhafi could step in, temporarily replace Treki, and oversee the activities.
That could cause headaches, especially for the United Kingdom's Gordon Brown and Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu – also slated to make speeches.
Brown already is under intense fire domestically and internationally for the Scottish government's surprise release of Pan Am 103 bomber Abdelbasset Ali Al Megrahi last week, which came about, according to the British government, because of "humanitarian" concerns. He's reported to have terminal cancer, but his plight has drawn little sympathy from the families of the 270 people who died in the terror attack he was convicted of orchestrating.
Aside from the general assembly, there is the security council. Libya is on the council and will complete a two-year term in December.
The group traditionally has met in a "special" VIP session during the annual GA debate, and it could give Gadhafi another forum to "present" his views on the world.
Such a meeting would be chaired by the council presidency, which rotates monthly. For September, the United States holds that responsibility. A White House source confirms President Obama will preside over the gathering on Sept. 24.
That will put Gadhafi at the same table with the U.S. president as well as with Brown, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, Russian President Dimitry Medvedev and Chinese President Hu Jintao.
A meeting, even though brief, between Obama and Gadhafi is all but certain, U.N. sources report.
Ironically, it is that same body which had imposed sanctions on Libya for the bombing of Pan Am 103. And it is the same body that had previously invited the families of Pan Am 103 to meet.
This time however, those same families are expected to be on the outside looking in.