Libyan PM calls for fair Arab position to Libyan crisis
Tripoli, Libya (PANA) – The Libyan Prime Minister, Fayez al-Sarraj, on Monday told the Arab group attending the 43rd session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva to take a fair position on the Libyan crisis.
Mr. al-Sarraj, who is the chairman of the presidential council of the Government of National Accord (GNA), reminded them of the difficulties Libya has been facing to establish a civilian and democratic government since the fall of the regime of Muammar Gaddafi.
He reviewed the most important stages that preceded "the aggression on the capital Tripoli" on 4 April last year by the Libyan National Army (LNA) led by Marshal Khalifa Haftar, and the positive participation of the GNA in all conferences and meetings held to resolve the crisis and approve their results while the LNA has rejected them.
He said that despite this, the internationally-recognised GNA attended a meeting in February last year in Abu Dhabi, UAE, which ended with the rejection of a military solution and the acceptance to participate in the national inclusive conference called by the United Nations.
This was the basis of a peace plan that was to lead to parliamentary and presidential elections.
However, it was surprised by the Tripoli attack by Haftar's forces on 4 April days just before the Conference was to open and during the visit of the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres to Libya.
"The objective was to sap the path for political resolution, to torpedo the aspirations of Libyans to build a civilian State and return the country to an authoritarian military regime," said Mr al-Sarraj.
He also mentioned the “negative” regional and foreign interference that had aggravated the crisis as the war had cost hundreds of civilian lives, displaced tens of thousands as well as destroyed homes, lives of the people, the economy and infrastructure.
"The military support the attacker (Haftar) has been receiving for years has encouraged him to move away from the political path and has made him to think he can overthrow the government and take power, but his project has failed against the Tripoli wall," al-Sarraj said.
He rejected Haftar's allegations that his aggression is to fight terrorism, indicating that the forces of the GNA were "those that liberated the city of Sirte from the terrorist organisation (Daech) and had thousands of martyrs and wounded in operation Bounyan Al-Marsous" in the city.
Mr. al-Sarraj said that before the aggression, Tripoli had seen the return of more than 40 embassies and diplomatic missions, security was at the highest level and the country was ready for peace.
The chairman of the presidential council said: "It is high time countries backing the aggression realise that betting on the rebellion that triggered the war is a losing bet and there is no justification in extending the war, to kill more Libyan youths and destroy the infrastructure that serves all Libyans."
He said that "Libya cannot pledge itself to anyone; it is more than everybody", adding that the recent UN Security Council resolution has adopted the results from the Berlin conference and the three paths to peace - economic, political and military processes.
Mr al-Sarraj noted that "the violations of the truce have continued after (the Berlin Conference and UN Security Council resolution) and that the movement of arms to the attacker (Haftar) has not stopped", adding that "the enforcement of the arms embargo must be carried out through land, air and sea, otherwise this won’t work".
He underlined the position of the Arab League, who could not hold a meeting of its delegates to discuss the aggression against an Arab capital while it has rushed to hold sessions on less serious and important issues than the Libyan crisis.
"We have suffered from this position and we’ll protest against it, but we are convinced that several brothers want stability in Libya and they are expected to adopt a fairer and more efficient position," he said.
-0- PANA BY/IS/MSA/MA 25Feb2020
