Brussels, 25/07/2014 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 24 July, the special envoys to Libya from the EU, UK, France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Malta, the USA, Arab League and United Nations called for a ceasefire from all the parties to the conflict in Libya - and “all the more so as Eid approaches” (the end of Ramadan is scheduled for 28 July).
According to a spokesperson for High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton, the envoys called on all parties to demonstrate a willingness to compromise, and they hoped that all parties would agree to enter into an inclusive political dialogue on the back of a ceasefire. “The international community stands ready to support and to help respect the political process”, the envoys are reported as stating, stressing that the UN should play a leading role in reaching this ceasefire, in conjunction with the Libyan government and other internal partners, and with the full support of the international envoys.
For the envoys, the situation in Libya has reached “a critical stage”, and the violence that reigns in the whole country and its humanitarian consequences are cause for deep concern, Ashton's spokesperson told EUROPE.
The envoys also believed that the Council of Representatives should have the opportunity to convene according to the timetable set out in the law. According to Ashton's spokesperson, the envoys encouraged the Council of Representatives to carry out its tasks “in a spirit of inclusiveness, moderation and in the interest of the country”.
The envoys also reportedly called on international and regional stakeholders to continue to engage constructively and contribute to these aims. According to Ashton's spokesperson, the envoys are said to have encouraged the international community to remain fully engaged in support of the Libyan institutions and to assist them throughout the transition. The Libyan government has the responsibility of ensuring the safety of the missions of the international community in Libya, the special envoys to Libya also reportedly stated.
On 23 July, Ashton invited all the envoys to Libya to meet the European envoy, Bernardino Leon, in Brussels on 24 July, so as to discuss the situation in Libya (see EUROPE 11127). (CG)