Permanent ceasefire deal welcomed unanimously as decisive step toward peace in Libya

 

Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - The ceasefire agreement signed Friday in Geneva (Switzerland) by delegations of the government of National Accord and the Libyan National Army under the aegis of the United-nations, was welcomed by the international community and regional and continental organisations as a decisive step towards the achievement of peace and stability in Libya after years of security chaos. 

The deal was reached at the end of talks of the joint 5+5 military commission that brought together the two parties involved in the Libyan crisis.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres Friday in reaction to the signing of the deal in Libya, said it was about “fundamental stage towards peace and stability”, indicating that “the deal is essential step to peace and stability in Libya, but there are still efforts to make".

In a news conference, Guterres expressed the hope that the UN Security Council would support the deals concluded in Geneva concerning Libya, calling belligerent parties in Libya and regional parties to respect the ceasefire deal and ensure its immediate implementation.

The UN chief also called on the international community to support the commitment for ceasefire in Libya, which was agreed on Friday in Geneva.

He told journalists: "I call all concerned parties and regional powers to respect the terms of agreement of the ceasefire and ensure its immediate application", calling for the full implementation of the UN arms embargo on Libya.

The Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, declared that the signing of the permanent ceasefire in Libya represented a “historic moment, an important step and great national achievement that will contribute to the security and stability in all parties of the Libyan government”, hailing “the courage and great patriotism that prevailed".

Gheit welcomed the signing at the seat of the United-Nations in Geneva of the permanent ceasefire all across the Libyan territory, which was concluded within the framework of the negotiations of the joint 5+5 military commission between the Government of National Accord and the Libyan National Army.

The Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, in a statement issued Friday, expressed “his great recognition of the key role played by the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) and its chief, Stephanie Williams, also acting special representative of the UN Secretary-general in Libya, for the pleasure to sponsor and facilitate the cycles of negotiations held between the two parties".

The official of the Pan-African organisation called on all Libyan parties to continue engaging seriously in that effort, under the aegis of the United-nations and by the intermediary of the joint military commission and its sub-committees.

He also called on them to assume their responsibilities to apply that deal and respect its terms in a bid to apply all ceasefire agreements on the ground, follow up and check and ensure the full resumption of oil production and export, and the withdrawal of “all mercenaries and foreign forces from Libyan soils".

Gheit also called on Libyans to profit from “that historic action” to resolve the Libyan crisis on all its paths, particularly ahead of the forum for Libyan political dialogue under the aegis of the United-Nations.

This, he noted, would enable them to reach large national consensus to complete the transitional phase in the country and prepare for the holding of the presidential and parliamentary elections.

He reaffirmed the full commitment of the Arab League to support and back all efforts aiming to reach integrated and purely national political resolution of the Libyan crisis, far from foreign interference.

Through the spokesperson for the foreign affairs ministry, Ahmed Hafedh, Egypt showed its pleasure with the permanent ceasefire deal in Libya in Geneva.

In a declaration on behalf of the ministry of foreign affairs, Hafedh said that "the success obtained today is within the framework of the continuation of the first direct meeting held by Egypt in Hurghada in late September".

He also appreciated the agreement of the Libyan army to maintain the calm on the front lines and avoid the escalation, and called on countries involved in Libyan affairs to contribute to the present effort and guarantee the de-escalation. 

The United States urged actors in Libya, both internal and external, to support the application of the ceasefire in good will, underlining that the agreement signed today paves the way for several progress within the framework of the Forum for Libyan political dialogue that will begin next week to reach durable solution to the conflict.   

The United-States warmly welcomed the permanent ceasefire in Libya signed Friday during the peace talks of the joint military commission in Geneva.

The US embassy in Libya declared that the agreement represents an “important step towards the achievements of the common interests of all Libyans by reducing the escalation and instability and the departure of all foreign fighters".

"We congratulate the two parties for the success of their negotiations, and we congratulate the acting special representative of the UN Secretary-General, Stephanie Williams, for her indispensable role in the facilitation of talks," added the statement.

The French embassy in Libya welcomed “the signing of the ceasefire in Libya", congratulating “the parties for this historic agreement for all Libyan citizens”.

“The success of the direct talks between Libyans confirms the primacy of Libya’s sovereignty over the foreign interference under the excellent leadership of the UN Support Mission in Libya.”

Qatar also showed its pleasure with the permanent ceasefire announced by the UN Support Mission in Libya in all the Libyan territory, welcoming in a statement by its ministry of foreign affairs the efforts made by the UN envoy in Libya and expressed the hope that the agreement would last and would be preserved.

The UN Mission Friday announced that the joint 5+5 military commission had reached a permanent ceasefire deal, explaining that “the talks ended with historic achievement, the Libyan parties having concluded a permanent ceasefire deal in all Libyan regions".

The ceasefire deal was signed between the two delegations of the joint 5+5 military commission at the seat of the United-nations in Geneva, in the presence of the acting special representative of the UN Secretary-General. 

 

-0-    PANA    BY/IS/MSA/RA   23Oct2020