Hurry up ‘n Wait

EU calls emergency Libya summit for 11 March

They’re running out of time to try to look important.

"I will make proposals to the European Council on the strategic lines of the European Union's reaction to developments in Libya and in our southern neighbourhood," EU Council President Herman Van Rompuy said in a written statement on Tuesday (1 March).

Note: not in the past tense. Let’s not forget the “land of debate”:

France is also keen to debate military support for humanitarian aid, economic assistance for the wider region and a general "reset" in EU relations with Maghreb countries.

Otherwise, they’re in no big hurry. The languid "slow food" movement appears to have also made a dent in the leadership of the "Grand Area"

The diplomatic contact noted that new sanctions could be ready by Thursday and that the summit could be brought forward if "something atrocious" happens in Libya before next week.

Nonetheless, the obvious must also be stated:

Germany was initially reluctant to hold the Libya meeting, with German diplomats saying as late as Monday afternoon that the French idea is "not serious."