Germany caught in the middle as Hong Kong protests linked to Libya war in UN spat

China retaliates by denying Berlin credit for its role in mediation efforts in Libya after foreign minister met with activist Joshua Wong

The words ‘Berlin process’ were chopped from the text of a Security Council statement on Libya at Beijing’s insistence, diplomats said

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Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong with German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas in Berlin. Photo: EPA-EFE

Published: 9:56pm, 14 Dec 2019Updated: 9:57pm, 14 Dec 2019

The insular world of UN politics has spawned another spat, this one linking the continuing protests in Hong Kong to Libya’s protracted civil conflict with Germany caught in the middle.

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas’s decision to hold a meeting with Hong Kong democracy activist Joshua Wong is reverberating through the United Nations’ hallways, where China appears to have retaliated by denying Berlin credit for its central role in mediation efforts in Libya.

In an only-at-the-UN moment, the words “Berlin process” were unexpectedly chopped from the text of a Security Council statement on Libya early this month at China’s insistence, diplomats said.

While the document flagged contributions from the African Union, the League of Arab States and the European Union to help end the conflict, there was no mention of Germany, a key mediator.

Diplomacy at the UN can sometimes veer into the absurd, yet China’s success in excising Berlin from the Libya text also underscores how Beijing is increasingly flexing its muscles behind the scenes at the global body. China has grown more assertive in its efforts to fend off criticism of its treatment of Uygurs and of its effort to quell protests in Hong Kong.

Officials at China and Germany’s UN missions did not respond to requests for comment.

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