Brussels, 14/03/2016 (Agence Europe) - While the European foreign affairs ministers discussed possible sanctions on Monday 14 March against political spoilers in Libya, no formal decision was taken at the Foreign Affairs Council (see EUROPE 11510).
German Minister of State Michael Roth said that the sanctions against people were on the discussion table and continued to be so “but there was not yet any decision taken”. According to a European source, three countries - reportedly Cyprus, Greece and Malta - were said still to be blocking a possible decision. “We began internal work in order to impose sanctions on individuals who hamper the internal Libyan process”, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini said during a press conference at the end of the Council - without giving further details.
Upon arriving for lunch with the ministers at the Council, UN Special Envoy for Libya Martin Kobler said that the possible sanctions were not on the agenda of the UN Security Council. He stated that he had not come to give recommendations to Europeans about restrictive measures.
The ministers nevertheless agreed on the need for a swift implementation of a national unity government. “Consensus was reached without difficulty around a very clear resolve: it is now important to move very quickly to establish this government of national unity”, said French Jean-Marc Ayrault when he left the Council. He added that the EU encouraged Prime Minister Sarraj to visit Tripoli as soon as possible, as Sarraj indeed wants. “We would like those who resist - and there are still some - to understand the message”, he added.
Mogherini also underlined “the need for Libya to have a government of national accord as soon as possible”. She added that the Europeans had welcomed the statement of members of the Libyan political dialogue, when they met in Tunis on 10 and 11 March, on the need to recognise this government. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)