UN top official, Misrata leaders discuss re-launch of Libyan political process
Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - The deputy special representative of the UN Secretary-General for political affairs, Mrs Stephanie Williams, Wednesday visited the municipality of Misrata, 220 km east of Tripoli, as part of her efforts to seek a political solution to the Libyan crisis.
The UN official held talks on several issues, particularly the initiative of the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General in Libya, Ghassan Salamé, to resume the political process at a time “when the deadlock pushes more to the military confrontation in the country”.
Salamé has presented a three-point out of crisis plan focusing on a humanitarian truce that was observed on 11 August on the occasion of the Aid al-Adha.
The plan involves measures related to the establishment of confidence between belligerents and two international meetings bringing together countries involved in the Libyan affair and Libyans aiming to complete the political process.
"After a trip in the east of the country in July, the deputy special representative of the UN Secretary-General for political affairs, Stephanie Williams, continues her commitment across the country by making a new visit to Misrata in order to plead for political solution to the Libyan crisis," the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) said on Thursday in a tweet.
During her visit to Misrata, Williams met with different leaders like the mayor of the city, members of the municipality, civil society, former leaders and heads of tribes of the region, as well as the groups of women and activists, said the same sources.
The municipality of Misrata issued a statement on Thursday related to the meetings with Williams in which "participants reaffirmed the obligation to reject the military solution to the crisis and reject Haftar from all future dialogue", underlining the importance to fight against foreign interference.
They also insisted on "the need to continue working to implement the security measures and the economic reforms that offer the possibilities to establish a civilian state and which enable more possibilities to hold an inclusive forum to form a national unity government in charge of organizing elections in accord with a constitutional rule".
The UN envoy in Libya, Ghassan Salamé, has undertaken visits to different countries to promote the holding of an international conference on Libya in accordance with his plan.
On Wednesday, he was at La Valetta where he underlined the role of that country in the mobilization of the European Union in its capacity to help hold a meeting, announcing the beginning of efforts made by UNSMIL for the resumption of the political process.
Previously, Salamé met with German Chancellor Angela Merkel whose country is a permanent member of the UN Security Council to seek her support for the holding of the said meeting.
The armed fighting that broke out on 4 April near Tripoli has gained in intensity over the past few days in the absence of political out-of-crisis perspective.
-0- PANA BY/IS/SOC/MSA/RA 22Aug2019
