Brussels, 23/10/2012 (Agence Europe) - Stressing her concern at the violence in Bani Walid in Libya, where fighting between those faithful to Gaddafi and the former rebels have left dozens dead and hundreds injured, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton called on all the Libyan parties on 23 October “to seek a mediated solution and to respect international humanitarian principles”.
Ashton, who congratulated the Libyan people on the first anniversary of the historic Declaration of Liberation, recalled the developments made this year, while highlighting that “the transition process to a democratic society has only just begun” and that the challenges are “enormous”. “In the spirit of the revolution, it is now important to promote reconciliation and respect for human rights across Libyan society, while ensuring justice and due process”, Ashton said, adding that “security needs to be restored” and stressing the importance of a “vibrant” media and civil society. “The path to democracy will be a long-term process.” (CG/transl.fl)