BEIRUT: Former Lebanese Culture Minister Ghassan Salameh is set to be named United Nations envoy to Libya by U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, ending a contentious four-month search that followed the United States’ rejection of the U.N. head’s first suggestion. Guterres Friday put forward Salameh, a professor of international relations and conflict resolution at Sciences-Po in Paris, for the position.

Born in 1951, Salameh served as culture minister in Rafik Hariri’s 2000 to 2004 Cabinet. He also served as special adviser to the U.N. secretary-general from 2003 to 2006. In 2003 he also served as political adviser to the U.N. mission in Iraq.

Salameh taught at the American University of Beirut and Saint Joseph University in Beirut, and later at the University of Paris. He also sits on the boards of a number of organizations. Diplomats said objections to the pick were unlikely and the U.N. Security Council will green-light the appointment Tuesday.

The council must agree by consensus on the appointment of special envoys. Traditionally, the U.N. chief informally discusses candidates with the 15-member body to ensure agreement before officially proposing a name.

The search for a successor to Martin Kobler, a German diplomat who has served as U.N. representative in Libya since November 2015, began in February when Guterres proposed former Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad for the job.

The United States rejected Fayyad because of his nationality. U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley said the United Nations had been “unfairly biased in favor of the Palestinian Authority to the detriment of our allies in Israel.”

“In practice ... if [countries] have a significant objection then they usually make it clear before the secretary-general has made the proposal,” a senior council diplomat said, speaking on condition of anonymity. “So it was very unusual that the U.S. blocked the Palestinian candidate very late in the day.”

Guterres described the U.S. rejection as “a loss for the Libyan peace process and for the Libyan people.”

Following that objection, Russia and other council members rejected a British candidate and an American candidate, diplomats said. Kobler’s posting was extended until the end of June.

“Over 20 people were approached and either ruled themselves out ... or they were ruled out ... by one of the Security Council members,” the senior council diplomat said.

Libya slid into turmoil after Moammar Gadhafi’s overthrow in 2011, with several rival governments and armed alliances competing for power. with Reuters