Ghassan Salamé says military solution is not option in Libyan crisis, announces reopening of political process
Tripoli, Libya (PANA) – The Special representative of the UN Secretary General in Libya, Ghassan Salamé, has reaffirmed the need to relaunch the negotiations and the political process between actors involved in the Libyan crisis, saying that the military solution to the crisis is ‘’costly’’.
Saying that the United Nations is preparing to come back to the process of resolving the Libyan crisis, Salame outlined his position at a joint press conference held on Wednesday with the Maltese minister of foreign affairs and Trade promotion, Carmelo Abella, at the seat of the ministry at La Valette, the Maltese capital. cited in the Maltese website "Independent".
"Malta has a role to play to draw the attention of the other European Union countries on what is happening in Libya," Mr Salamé told journalists at the press conference.
In response to comments made by the Maltese minister of foreign affairs, Carmelo Abella, on the military situation in Libya, Salamé said: "The military solution is an illusion and very expensive".
He explained that "after months of conflict and more than 1,200 dead, the United Nations is at last getting closer to a return to a resolution process of the Libyan crisis".
"I know that we can rely on Malta because as a country, it is ready to help hold meetings and can remind the other European Union member countries of the need to unify the situation concerning the Libyan crisis," said the UN envoy.
The UN envoy in Libya presented an out of crisis plan that focuses around three points, a humanitarian truce on the occasion of the Aid al-Adha celebrated on 11 August and two meetings, one international bringing together the countries involved in the Libyan dossier and another one between Libyans in view to complete the political process for political solution.
Salamé said: "Although Libya is not a safe country for the time being, it is my duty to continue working endlessly to make it safer. We are in a situation of war where human trafficking continues, where the treatment of migrants is not the best. However, I must say that there are several reasons for which I was more optimistic six months ago".
Armed clashes broke out since 4 April near Tripoli between the troops loyal to the Libyan National Army based in the east of the country and commanded by Marshall Khalifa Haftar and the forces loyal to the government of national accord chaired by Fayez Al-Sarraj, seating in the Libyan capital and recognized by the international community.
On the issue of illegal immigration, Salamé said that the movement of migrants in Libya "is today more manageable that before", adding that the reaction of Libyan authorities to deal with the question, for example, is far better than in the past".
He told journalists ‘’not to be obsessed by the shelters of migrants which most international medias are interested in", stressing that those centers "actually host few migrants".
The UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) proposed Libyan authorities an alternative in the management of migrants including the closure of the accommodation centers for illegal migrants.
-0- PANA BY/IS/MSA/VAO 21Aug2019
