Libya: U.S. Reaffirms Commitment to TNC, Speculation on Congressional Support

Deputy Secretary of State William J. Burns led the U.S. delegation to the Libya Contact Group meeting in Turkey today. State Department Spokesperson Victoria Nuland said the meeting “was characterized by an upbeat spirit and recognition of what our combined efforts have helped to achieve.” Separately, Burns met with Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu to discuss a variety of issues. Commenting at the talks, Burns called on the TNC to live up to its promises moving forward, and called on the international community to increase and coordinate its support for the TNC. Yet he noted that “Libya’s future is far from guaranteed,” and “what happens in these critical days will help determine whether the people of Libya will be able to enjoy the dignities, freedoms and opportunities they have been denied for decades, and to which they are entitled.” Scott Stewart describes the ethnic, tribal, and regional fault lines that will complicate the transition process.

Meanwhile, Theo Emery reports that U.S. support for the Libya transition could face opposition from isolationists in Congress. While a $160 million regional response fund has already been appropriated, if the administration moved to use some of the funds for efforts in Libya, Congress would have to be notified and could delay the process. Yet Senator John Kerry (D-MA) does not anticipate that the U.S. will be called upon to fund the transition. Finally, the National Democratic Institute (NDI) provides an update on its efforts to support the TNC-led transition and the council’s move to Tripoli.