Only withdrawal of Haftar's troops, ceasefire will usher peace in Libya - says Ghassan Salamé
Tripoli, Libya (PANA) – Only the withdrawal of the Libyan national army, led by led by Marshall Khalifa Haftar, from the onslaught on Tripoli, a ceasefire and Haftar's troops' return to their base will solve the current Libyan crisis.
The special representative of the UN Secretary-General, also chief of the UN support mission in Libya (UNSMIL), Ghassan Salamé, announced these measures as fighting continued in parts of Tripoli.
The chairman of the presidential council of the government of national accord, Fayez al-Sarraj, is demanding in addition to the ceasefire the return of Haftar’s troops to where they came from.
In an interview on Monday with the BBC, Mr Salamé said that Marshall Khalifa Haftar has "clear political objectives, that is to say the control of the capital", adding that Mr Haftar accepted a ceasefire but refuses to withdraw.
"So far, the Tripoli-based government recognised by the international community, has set two conditions for negotiations," said Mr Salamé in the interview on Monday.
He said there must be a ceasefire and the return of Haftar to his positions before the beginning of fighting on 3 April.
He regretted that Haftar has refused to withdraw to his positions. ‘’I think that we are still in a mobilisation phase at both sides, not negotiations. The two actors must be convinced that they are in a military deadlock to resume negotiations, but as long as one party is convinced that they can win alone, we won’t reach the negotiation round."
In response to a question on his reaction to the ‘’encouragement’’ which Haftar would receive from parties supporting him, alluding to his visit to Riyadh, Cairo and France, Mr Salamé said: "I don’t think he needs encouragement".
He added: "I think he was supported because of his anti-terrorism efforts made over the past two or three years by foreign parties. But now, he has clear specific goals: the control of the capital where a third of the populations live and where all the country’s institutions are established".
According to the UNSMIL chief, "it might be that he surprised them, but now they don’t have any more choice than staying along with him’’, adding that ‘’the other party benefits also from foreign support’’.
But he said: ‘’All this is very regretful, as we were so close to the meeting between all parties in Ghadames to reach political consensus, and I had to delay the meeting because of the offensive’’.
The UN efforts to resolve the Libyan crisis have been deadlocked since the launching on 4 April dof the military offensive against Tripoli, days before the holding of the national inclusive conference, initially due for 14-16 April to find consensus between Libyans on a calendar for the electoral agenda ending the transitional phase in the country, a situation that forced Mr Salamé to postpone the meeting.
-0- PANA BY/BEH/MSA/VAO 15April2019
