Brussels, 09/05/2014 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 8 May, the EU high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, Catherine Ashton, announced that she has appointed Bernardino Leon as her special envoy for Libya. Leon will “facilitate, coordinate and enhance the EU's actions in support of the Libyan people at a critical juncture for the country”, explains Ashton's department in a press release.
An experienced Spanish diplomat with wide-ranging experience in the region, Leon has devoted most of his career to the Arab world. Since June 2011, he has been the EU special representative for the Southern Mediterranean region, and he was previously secretary-general at the Spanish Prime Minister's Office, as well as a sherpa for the G20.
The EU says it is “deeply concerned” by the significant deterioration of the political and security situation in Libya. It has repeatedly condemned the continued violence across the country, including the latest clashes in Benghazi. While the Rome conference of 6 March 2014 was “an unprecedented display of international solidarity and support for the Libyan people and authorities, there is an urgent need for the international community to enhance its engagement”, states a European External Action Service press release. The EU says it remains fully committed to supporting the Libyan authorities and calls on the Libyan government and the General National Congress to work jointly, within an agreed institutional framework based on the constitutional declaration, “to achieve a peaceful and democratic political transition”. (LC)