Panafrican News Agency

Libyan press highlights settlement of national crisis, illegal sale of oil

Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - Libyan newspapers  this week focused on the 45th summit of the G7, which supported the crisis settlement plan proposed by the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL).

The plan calls for the organization of two conferences, one international and the other local, preceded by a truce.

Attempts to sell Libyan crude oil illegally aroused the interest of newspapers that reported the UN's indignation at this practice alongside the military offensive by the Libyan National Army forces against the city of Ghariane , 80 km southwest of Tripoli, which was repulsed by the loyal troops of the Government of National Accord.


The al-Wassat newspaper reported that  last week was marked by a relative escalation of the war on the outskirts of Tripoli, unleashed about 150 days ago, diplomatic initiatives aimed at ending the war and to resolve the Libyan crisis appeared in the form of statements, among others.


The most recent initiative is an appeal launched by the G7 to agree on a truce followed by two conferences, the first local and the second international, according to a statement issued at the end of the group's work in Biarritz, France, said the newspaper.


In an article under the title 'The Libyan crisis - pledges two conferences beginning with a truce', the newspaper quoted Western diplomatic sources as referring to the proposal for a Libyan reconciliation conference, correcting the version proposed by the UN envoy, Ghassan Salamé, before the outbreak of war, known as the 'Inclusive National Conference', which was abandoned after the war broke out in the capital, Tripoli.        

But sources mentioned a new variable in the vision of the international community, as "there will be the participation of the head of armed formations of Misrata and Zenten," the paper said.


The weekly appearing in Cairo, Egypt, indicated that diplomatic sources did not disclose the date or venue of this meeting, which rested questions at the old Ghadames meeting on the names of participants and criteria of conference attendance in light of the variables after April 4, but underlined the general objective of the conference to lay a new foundation for the previous conference held in Skhirat, Morocco, in 2016, to allow reunification in long-term of the executive.


Al-Wassat pointed out that it is not only a proposal for a Libyan-Libyan conference but also an international conference to be held this time in New York at the end of September, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.


Diplomatic sources have linked the proposal to France's consultations with London and Rome, which are seeking a permanent truce in Tripoli forcing the warring parties to comply, the paper said.


Citing analysts, the paper said the success of this step was contingent on "the conclusion of an extensible truce, which will result in a ceasefire agreement and serious action by the UN to prevent weapons to enter Libya and respect for international resolutions, accompanied by negotiations on military positions after guns have been silenced."


Between the initiative of the local and international conferences to solve the crisis and the questions on the Libyan scene, the war remains the current reality which is essential, while waiting for a truce under certain conditions putting an end to the bloodshed in Libya, and a proxy war on the outskirts of the capital that has not revealed the resolution's indicators for five months, the newspaper concluded.


Addressing an offensive launched by the Libyan National Army led by Khalifa Haftar against the city of Ghariane, which was repulsed by the Army loyal to the GNA,  the Afrigatenews reported that Mabrouk Abdelhafedh, Spokesman of the Ministry of the Interior of the GNA, said the situation in Ghariane city is under military control by the government joint operations room.

He added that security is ensured by the components of the Ministry of Interior, including the Directorate of Security of Ghariane, according to the newspaper.


According to the Libyan electronic newspaper in Arabic, Abdelahfed warned all those who try to sow sedition or disrupt civilian peace and security, stressing that there was no complacency in taking legal action and security precautions in Libya and in the city of Ghariane in particular, which would protect the lives and property of citizens, whether public or private.


On the Libyan oil sector, al-Wassat newspaper reported that it was the scene of major developments last week, as the United Nations announced it was closely following Libyan oil export attempts "outside the control of the National Oil Company (NOC), while the Presidential Council and the Company have begun a series of negotiations aimed at increasing the wages of workers in the sector.


The al-Wassat reported on a meeting of NOC chief executive Mustapha Sanalla with Stephanie Williams, the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative for Political Affairs, that "the UN follows these attempts, which violate Security Council resolutions."


The UN official repeated, according to the newspaper, that "the Company is the only internationally recognized entity authorized to sell Libyan oil".


The newspaper recalled that total sales of oil, gas and petrochemicals totalled $10.33 billion from January to the end of June 2019.


July's earnings data showed that the sale of crude oil alone accounted for $ 8.88 billion over the same period, while revenues from concession fees and royalties amounted to $711.97 million dollars, according to the newspaper which stated that gas and condensate sales revenue reached $ 716.85 million, while petrochemicals sold for $20.99 million in the first half of this year.


However, the uncertainty that continues to weigh on Libyan production due to the precarious security situation and the possibility of supply disruption, constitutes a significant risk until 2020, the paper noted.

-0- PANA BY/TBM/KND/AR 31Aug2019