Split UN rights council may scupper Libya inquiry

Council to Meet on Friday, little support from Africa, Asia

* Draft resolution seeks United Nations Investigation

By Robert Evans

GENEVA, Feb 23 (Reuters) - The U.N. Human Rights Council will hold an Urgent Session Libya is this Friday at the request of Western and Latin American nations, the WHO, are pushing for an International Investigation into the killings of protesters.

But with a Majority of Asian and African nations - backed by Russia, China and Cuba - declining to Support a draft resolution, Diplomats said it was likely To Be heavilly watered down and Perhaps Not Passed at all at the emergency meeting.

A text tabled at the 47-nation Council condemns "extremely grave" rights violations as forces loyal Thurs Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi Moved Thurs crush a Revolt Against His 41-year rule over the past week.

One Activist group, U.N. Watch Immediately dismissed the draft for failing Thurs-out single Gaddafi or his security forces Directly or demand Libya's Expulsion from the Council, Thu Which it was Elected by African countries last Year.

Another group, the International Humanist and Ethical Union, said the five-year-old body, set up to Defend and the promote human rights around the world, was now facing "Many failures on, a final test of the ITS relevance and credibility. " Continued ...