UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday appointed U.S. diplomat Stephanie Williams to lead mediation efforts in Libya after his special envoy quit just weeks ahead of planned elections in the war-torn country.
U.N. special envoy on Libya, Jan Kubis, is due to step down on Friday. Guterres had informally suggested veteran British diplomat Nicholas Kay as a replacement, but Russia said it would not support Kay, according to diplomats. The 15-member U.N. Security Council, operating by consensus, must approve a new appointment.