UN security council air strikes vote – live

• UN security council expected to pass Libya resolution • US and Britain support air strikes to protect civilians • France ready to launch first missions within hours • Gaddafi declares: ‘There will be no mercy’ in Benghazi • Qatar and UAE governments may add forces Read the Guardian’s latest news coverage 5.59pm ET: Security council members are milling about in the chamber – with the big question being, how will the votes go? The Guardian’s Luke Harding spoke with Germany’s foreign minister Guido Westerwelle , and he sounded hostile: Westerwelle warned the results of western military intervention were “unpredictable” and could have consequences for freedom movements in the Arab world. “Your own instinct is to say ‘We have to do something.’ But military intervention is to take part in a civil war that could go on for a long time. “Germany has a strong friendship with our European partners. But we won’t take part in any military operation and I will not send German troops to Libya.” Westerwelle said other options could be used against Libya including “targeted sanctions, political pressure and international isolation”. “Considering alternatives to military engagement is not the same as doing nothing,” he said. He declined to say how Germany would vote this evening at the UN security council. From the sound of those comments, Germany is likely to abstain tonight – but will Angela Merkel want Germany to be out of step with the rest of Europe on this? 5.45pm ET / 10.45pm GMT: The UN security council will shortly start its proceedings for a vote on a resolution supporting military action against the Gaddafi regime in Libya. Here’s the Guardian’s latest coverage reporting today’s meeting : Britain, France and the US, along with several Arab countries, are to join forces to throw a protective ring around the Libyan rebel stronghold of Benghazi as soon as a UN security council vote on military action is authorised, according to security council sources. We’ll be following the UN security council debate, final vote and reactions here as it happens. With France’s air force said to be ready to fly missions over Libya within hours of a resolution, we’ll be watching what happens in the air and on the ground in Libya, as well as input from the Guardian’s correspondents and other international responses. A live webcast of the security council meeting can be watched here – and of course we welcome comments below. Libya United Nations Middle East Arab and Middle East protests US foreign policy France Nato Foreign policy Richard Adams guardian.co.uk

Posted by on March 17, 2011. Filed under News, Politics, World News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.