UN releases Libyan frozen assets

The United Nations has agreed to release a chunk of Libya’s frozen assets after deciding the country’s National Transitional Council appears largely in control of Tripoli and other cities.

It is part of a UN bid to play a central role in the rebuilding of Libya.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said: “It was vitally important that the Security Council Sanctions Committee acted to release 1.5 billion dollars in frozen Libyan assets for humanitarian assistance.The first allocation of these assets, 110 million dollars has just been made. The people of Libya are looking to the international community for help. The transitional government will be outlining specific requests in the coming days. My aim is to get UN personnel on the ground absolutely as quickly as possible under a robust Security Council mandate.”

But while UN humanitarian personnel will be welcomed by Libya’s interim leadership, any military deployment has been firmly rejected.

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