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UN Security Council starts private meeting on Libya

22 February 2011 22:16 (UTC +04:00)

The meeting kicked off at around 3:20 p.m. EST (2020 GMT) behind closed doors, following consultations among the 15 Security Council members on Tuesday morning at the request of the Libyan Permanent Mission to the United Nations.

"The Security Council held consultations this morning following a request from Libya’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations. After that, Council members agreed to hold a private meeting at 3: 00 this afternoon, on ’peace and security in Africa,’" UN spokesman Martin Nesirky told reporters here.

"At that meeting, Council members expect to receive a briefing from the Secretariat on the latest developments in Libya," he said. "The meeting will be followed by consultations."

Earlier on Tuesday, the Libyan permanent representative to the United Nations, Mohamed Shalgham, told reporters here that he represents Libya and he will speak at the Council meeting. He said that he wants to tell the Security Council that he has been calling on Tripoli to end the bloodshed.

Diplomats told Xinhua that the Security Council is expected to issue a press statement, which is not legally binding, at the end of the meeting. The press statement does not become the UN document.

Unrest shook Libya in recent days, and government crackdowns on protesters have reportedly resulted in mass casualties.