Strasbourg, 18/09/2014 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 18 September, MEPs asked the European Commission and European External Action Service (EEAS) to coordinate the actions of the EU member states in Libya and to focus their support on strengthening the state and the institutions. “The EU should also give priority to assisting with reform of the Libyan justice system, as well as other fields crucial for democratic governance”, the European Parliament underlines in the joint resolution it adopted on the situation in Libya. It also calls on the European Commission and European External Action Service (EEAS), in cooperation with the member states, UN, NATO and regional partners, to assist in the creation of “effective” and nationally commanded and controlled security forces (armed forces and police forces) that can ensure peace and order in the country.
Recalling that the EU Border Mission (EUBAM) in Libya is currently on hold, the MEPs call on the high representative to review the EUBAM mandate with a view to “designing a new mission within the CSDP which takes into account the changed situation in Libya, especially with regard to the urgent need for state-building, the strengthening of institutions and security sector reform”.
The MEPs call on the EU to engage in a political dialogue with the Libyan government about immigration issues as soon as conditions permit, and they invite the EU and its member states “to effectively help” and support Italy in its “laudable efforts” to tackle “the spiralling migration flows”.
Condemning the growing violence, the Parliament also calls on all parties in the conflict to cease all violence immediately, to adopt a ceasefire, and to begin a national political dialogue without excluding any party. The MEPs call on Libya's interim government, elected house of representatives and constitutional drafting assembly “to carry out their tasks based on the rule of law and human rights, in a spirit of inclusiveness [and] in the interests of the country”. In addition, the MEPs invite their Libyan counterparts to come and meet them “in order to establish parliamentary relations with them”.