Miguel d’Escoto Brockmann is a former president of the U.N. General Assembly and a former Nicaraguan foreign minister.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- Miguel d’Escoto Brockmann is a former Libyan official’s pick for U.N. ambassador
- Moussa Koussa, Libya’s former foreign minister, defects to the United Kingdom
- U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Susan Rice says Brockmann could face visa problems
United Nations (CNN) — The man who appeared poised to be designated Libya’s new envoy at the United Nations apparently canceled a Thursday morning news conference after a Libyan official who supported him defected to the United Kingdom.
Miguel d’Escoto Brockmann, a former president of the U.N. General Assembly and a former Nicaraguan foreign minister, appeared ready to be Libya’s new representative. Former Libyan Foreign Minister Moussa Koussa wrote a letter to the U.N. requesting that Brockmann be the new Libyan ambassador.
U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Susan Rice told reporters she found it intriguing that a former Nicaraguan foreign minister wants to represent Libya. She said he could face a problem because is in the United States on a tourist visa and can’t legally represent a foreign country on a U.S. tourist visa. Rice said he would have to leave the country and then reapply for a G-1 visa.
Rice warned if Brockmann was found representing a country while here on a tourist visa, his visa status would be reviewed.
Libyan ruler Moammar Gaddafi‘s top two diplomats at the U.N. split with him weeks ago, but are still allowed to enter U.N. grounds. One of them, Mohamed Shalgam, was warmly greeted by U.S. President Barack Obama on Tuesday at a ceremony at the U.S. mission.
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Former Libyan official’s pick for U.N. ambassador in limbo