UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres defended former Palestinian prime minister Salam Fayyad on Monday as the “right person” to represent the world body in Libya after the United States raised objections to his choice.
"I deeply regret this opposition and I do not see any reason for it," Guterres said at the annual World Government Summit in Dubai.
“I believe he is the right person for the right job at the right moment... And I think it is a loss for the Libyan peace process and for the Libyan people that I am not able to appoint him,” he added.
Guterres informed the UN Security Council on Wednesday of his intention to appoint Fayyad as a replacement for German Martin Kobler to conflict-torn Libya.
But the US ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, objected to the appointment in a statement on Saturday.
“The United States was disappointed to see a letter indicating the intention to appoint the former Palestinian Authority prime minister to lead the UN Mission in Libya,” she said. “For too long the UN has been unfairly biased in favour of the Palestinian Authority to the detriment of our allies in Israel.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu immediately welcomed the US’s position on Fayyad, stating that the “time has come for positions and appointments to be made to the Israeli side as well”.
Read more:
http://www.france24.com/en/20170213-guterres-defends-ex-palestinian-pm-pick-un-libya-envoy 
