Libya, UNSC Resolution (1973) and India

~ Uddipan Mukherjee

India has refrained from voting in the UNSC resolution to establish 'no-fly zones' over Libya. The resolution refers to Chapter VII of the UN Charter in order to stop pro-Gadhafi elements in their assault over the rebels. Chapter VII authorises “action by air, sea, or land forces as may be necessary to maintain or restore international peace and security.”

India's deputy permanent representative Manjeev Singh Puri said India could not endorse the drastic steps called for in the resolution without hearing from the UN secretary-general’s special envoy, Abdel Ilah Al-Khatib; former Jordanian foreign minister. Though his visit is over, the Special Envoy's report was not available. 

In a press release, the Ministry of External Affairs of India asserts that on 17 March at New York, Puri had said : "The resolution that the Council has adopted today authorizes far reaching measures under Chapter VII of the UN Charter with relatively little credible information on the situation on the ground in Libya. We also do not have clarity about details of enforcement measures, including who and with what assets will participate and how these measures will be exactly carried out. It is, of course, very important that there is full respect for sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of Libya."

India, along with China, Brazil, Russia and Germany abstained from voting. It needs to be mentioned that India is presently a non-permanent member of the Security Council. And it is evident that India does not subscribe to the direct use of force against Libya. 

Moreover, New Delhi indicated that the UNSC resolution could impact, directly or through indirect routes, ongoing trade and investment activities of a number of member-states thereby adversely affecting the economic interests of the Libyan people. Also, India expressed concerns that the perceived measures might exacerbate an already difficult situation for the people of Libya. 

On the other hand; though Gadhafi declared a unilateral ceasefire on Friday (March 18), there are reports that even on Saturday, at least 26 people were killed and over 40 wounded after forces loyal to Gadhafi pounded the rebellious city of Benghazi in Eastern Libya (as per Al Jazeera).

The Voice of America reports that at the crisis summit on Libya at the Elysee Palace in Paris (March 19), major world leaders have concurred to use 'force' against Muammar Gadhafi. French war planes pounded Libyan targets Saturday evening, the first foreign strikes enforcing a United Nations "no-fly" zone over Libya, 

Is the world going to witness another Balkanisation as was seen in Yugoslavia in the early 1990s? Will Libya be divided into rebel held east and pro-Gadhafi west? Or shall we see another Iraq? The UNSC resolution however categorically mentions that 'no occupation force' would be stationed in Libya. 

Nevertheless, in this scenario, India's actions are what needs to be analysed. Was this a BRIC + G-4 effect? Interestingly, apart from Japan, which is at present not within the Security Council, other nation-states of BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, China) and G-4 (Group seeking permanent membership of the Council) unanimously abstained from voting. 

By so doing, India has definitely exhibited its independent foreign policy stance and to a large extent has tried to eradicate the prevailing notion of its pro-US tilt. However, at the same time, such an [in]action on India's part may not be very encouraging for its prospects of bagging a permanent seat in the UNSC with American help. 

The upshot of these developments may be summarised as under:

Notwithstanding a resurgent Russia and a strong China, neither could risk pushing the UNSC architecture to the brink by applying their veto power in the Libyan case. 

India is yet to frame a robust and uniform foreign policy, especially during international crises situations. Furthermore, in case of pariah states like Iran, Myanmar, North Korea and Libya, India's posture remains unclear.

After evacuating around 15,000 of the 18,000 odd Indians from Libya, safety of its people must not have weighed on the minds of the Indian policy makers. Similar rationale could be ascribed for China. 

Brushing aside intra-group differences, BRIC and G-4 seem to hold ground, at least as far as this Security Council decision was concerned. 

Reference:

http://meaindia.nic.in/mystart.php?id=190017431