Strasbourg, 09/06/2015 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 8 June, the G7 countries (France, Germany, Italy, UK, Canada, USA and Japan) called on the Libyans to take bold decisions.
“The time for fighting has passed. The moment for bold political decisions has come”, the G7 leaders say in their common statement. “The time for political agreement is now”, they add. The G7 thus calls on Libyans “from all sides” to put down their weapons and work together “to transform the aspirations that gave birth to the revolution into the political foundations of a democratic state”.
The G7 leaders also welcome the progress made by all the parties to the negotiations led by the UN special representative, Bernardino Leon. “Libyan leaders must now grasp the opportunity to conclude these negotiations and to form a government of national accord (GNA)”, the G7 states. New negotiations began on 8 June, which are described by the UN as “decisive”. The Libyan leaders and those who have influence over them “must show the necessary strength and leadership at this critical moment to reach and implement agreement”, the leaders of the seven most industrialised nations state.
The G7 leaders express their deep concern about the “growing” terrorist threat, arms proliferation, migrant smuggling, humanitarian suffering and depletion of state assets. “Unless a political agreement is reached, the ongoing instability risks prolonging the crisis that is felt most keenly and acutely by the Libyan people themselves”, the G7 leaders warn.
However, once an agreement is reached, the G7 leaders will be “ready to provide significant support to such an inclusive and representative government” as it tries “to build effective state institutions, including security forces, to restore public services, to expand infrastructure, strengthen, rebuild and diversify the economy, and to rid the country of terrorists and criminal networks”. (Camille-Cerise Gessant)