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Guterres Urges Security Council to Unify Stance amid US-Russian Differences over Libya

Stephanie Williams upon her arrival in the southern Libyan city of Sebha earlier this week. (Twitter account of the Special Adviser to the Secretary-General of the United Nations for Libya)
Stephanie Williams upon her arrival in the southern Libyan city of Sebha earlier this week. (Twitter account of the Special Adviser to the Secretary-General of the United Nations for Libya)
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Guterres Urges Security Council to Unify Stance amid US-Russian Differences over Libya

Stephanie Williams upon her arrival in the southern Libyan city of Sebha earlier this week. (Twitter account of the Special Adviser to the Secretary-General of the United Nations for Libya)
Stephanie Williams upon her arrival in the southern Libyan city of Sebha earlier this week. (Twitter account of the Special Adviser to the Secretary-General of the United Nations for Libya)

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged on Friday the members of the Security Council to unify their stance over extending the mandate of the UN mission in Libya (UNSMIL), which ends Jan. 31, following a disagreement between the US and Russia.

Moscow has demanded the UN secretary general’s special advisor on Libya, American Stephanie Williams, be replaced.

The Security Council was scheduled to vote Thursday on a draft resolution prepared by Britain to extend UNSMIL’s mission until Sept. 15, after the text was amended more than once in an attempt to overcome the disagreement on many issues, including the position on the presidential and legislative elections and the mandate granted to the UN mission.

The Russian side insisted on appointing a special envoy to succeed Slovakian Jan Kubis, who resigned last November, but differences within the Council prompted Guterres to name Williams as a special advisor, but who is assuming the duties of the envoy.

Russia was purportedly ready to exercise its veto right to obstruct the adoption of the resolution and to submit an alternative draft-resolution, calling on the Secretary-General to appoint a new special envoy “without delay” and limit the mandate to three months, which prompted Britain to postpone the voting session to make room for further negotiations.

Divisions between UN members are not a “good signal” to Libyans and “will not help Stephanie Williams” in her current role, a diplomatic source said.

Dmitry Polyanskiy, Russian Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, had demanded the appointment of a new mediator in Libya, saying: “It’s important that the Secretary-General present a candidate for this position as soon as possible… The UN envoy must have sufficient experience in the framework of a mandate decided by the Security Council.”

He added: “Unfortunately, we do not have such a person at the head of the mission at the moment.”

In comments during his daily press briefing, UN Secretary General Spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Guterres was implementing the mandate granted to him by the Security Council, calling on the Council members to show “unity and clarity.”

Guterres is currently working closely with members of the Security Council in order to achieve the interests of the UN Mission in Libya as well as the interests of the Libyans, Dujarric emphasized.

He continued: “The Secretary-General is extremely grateful for all the work that Stephanie Williams has done in her previous capacity... and what she continues to do on the Libyan file as special advisor. She’s done a very, very good job in [the] face of a very difficult situation.”

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Lebanese Govt Approaches Hezbollah Arms File Without Decisions

In this photo, released by the Lebanese Presidency press office, Lebanese president Joseph Aoun, center foreground, and Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, right, head a cabinet meeting at the presidential palace in Baabda, east of Beirut, Lebanon, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (Lebanese Presidency press office via AP)
In this photo, released by the Lebanese Presidency press office, Lebanese president Joseph Aoun, center foreground, and Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, right, head a cabinet meeting at the presidential palace in Baabda, east of Beirut, Lebanon, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (Lebanese Presidency press office via AP)
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Lebanese Govt Approaches Hezbollah Arms File Without Decisions

In this photo, released by the Lebanese Presidency press office, Lebanese president Joseph Aoun, center foreground, and Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, right, head a cabinet meeting at the presidential palace in Baabda, east of Beirut, Lebanon, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (Lebanese Presidency press office via AP)
In this photo, released by the Lebanese Presidency press office, Lebanese president Joseph Aoun, center foreground, and Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, right, head a cabinet meeting at the presidential palace in Baabda, east of Beirut, Lebanon, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (Lebanese Presidency press office via AP)

Lebanon’s government addressed the contentious issue of Hezbollah’s weapons
and the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701 with no concrete decisions made during the recent cabinet discussions.
Government sources who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the Lebanese Forces bloc demanded that timeline for the disarmament of Hezbollah be set, but there was no response to their demand. Other ministers argued that the matter of exclusive state control over weapons is already addressed in the government's ministerial statement.

Moreover, and in a gesture underscoring its commitment to international cooperation, the government approved the extension of the mandate for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), highlighting Lebanon’s “keenness on partnership with the international community to maintain stability.”
It also reported 2,740 Israeli violations since the ceasefire agreement was put in place.

In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, government sources said that President Joseph Aoun has vowed to discuss the matter of setting a timeline to disarm Hezbollah with the relevant parties, and will report the outcome of his consultations back to the cabinet.

Following the cabinet session, Information Minister Paul Morcos reaffirmed the government's commitment to asserting state authority over all Lebanese territory. He underscored the need to bolster the Lebanese Army amid growing security challenges—particularly in the south, where the army continues to carry out its duties despite repeated Israeli aggressions.

The Minister stated that Army Commander General Rodolph Haikal delivered a security briefing during the meeting, outlining ongoing operations and the army's position. Haikal stressed Lebanon’s full commitment to implementing UN Security Council Resolution 1701, in contrast to Israel’s repeated violations, which, he said, hinder the army’s deployment and the extension of state authority in the region.
UN Security Council Resolution 1701 calls for the Lebanese Army’s deployment south of the Litani River and the removal of all unauthorized armed groups.

Despite limited resources, Morcos noted, the army “continues to fulfill its duties under difficult conditions”.
Industry Minister, Joe Issa el-Khoury, said after the cabinet meeting at Baabda Palace that ministers of the Lebanese Forces bloc raised the issue of setting a six-month timeline for the handover of all illegal weapons—both Lebanese and non-Lebanese. They proposed beginning the process with the Palestinian refugee camps.
Morco also announced that the Cabinet approved the extension of the UNIFIL mandate in southern Lebanon, stressing the Lebanese state’s commitment to its partnership with the international community in preserving stability.

For his part, President Aoun, at the onset of the session, described his meeting with Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Tamim Al-Thani, in Doha as “fruitful and excellent,” revealing that a Qatari delegation may visit Lebanon next week to discuss the electricity file.
Aoun also thanked the Intelligence Directorate and General Security for arresting members of a cell involved in rocket launches from southern Lebanon. He expressed hope that the cell recently dismantled in Jordan—whose members admitted to receiving training in Lebanon—will be fully unraveled.
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, for his part, spoke about his recent visit to Syria. He said four major issues were discussed: securing and eventually demarcating the Lebanese-Syrian border, the case of Lebanese detainees who disappeared in Syria, Lebanese nationals wanted by authorities who are currently in Syria, and the issue of Syrian prisoners held in Lebanon.
Salam underscored that some of the most pressing matters discussed was the return of Syrian refugees back to their homeland, and the need to lift sanctions on Syria in order to facilitate this process.
The visit also included an official request for information related to the Beirut port explosion.