NEWS IN ENGLISH – Brazilian embassy in Libya is shortchanged by UN sanctions

allen — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 13:34:11 +0000

Renata Giraldi Reporter Agência Brasil

Brasília – The Brazilian embassy in Trípoli has become a victim of United Nations sanctions against the Libya of Col. Muamar Gadhafi. The sanctions, citing excessive regime brutality, were approved by the UN Security Council on February 27. They prohibit banking transactions with Libya and, in an unusual move, refer that country to the International Criminal Court (the only other time that has happened was in 2005, when the Security Council referred Sudan to the ICC).

The Brazilian embassy in Tripoli receives money from the Brazilian Foreign Ministry through a Banco do Brasil branch in New York. Under the terms of the Security Council sanctions, no bank in the United States will transfer funds to Libya. As a result, the embassy has run out of money and the ambassador, George Ney de Souza Fernandes (the only Brazilian diplomat still in the country; the rest of the staff was sent to Italy) has reported serious problems in keeping the embassy open.

The Ministry of Foreign Relations, Itamaraty, says it is sending a courier with money to the embassy. For security reasons, they did not release any further details.

Allen Bennett – translator/editor The News in English – content modified

Link - Funcionário do Itamaraty leva pessoalmente remessa de dinheiro à embaixada brasileira