Brussels, 17/05/2016 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 16 May, the representatives of 25 delegations, including the five permanent members of the Security Council and High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini, said they were ready to lift the arms embargo for the Libyan government of national accord.
“The government of national accord has voiced its intention to submit appropriate arms embargo exemption requests to the UN Libya Sanctions Committee to procure necessary lethal arms and material to counter UN-designated terrorist groups and to combat Da'esh throughout the country. We will fully support these efforts while continuing to reinforce the UN arms embargo”, the minsters and representatives of the EU, the Arab League, the African Union and the United Nations say in a joint statement published at the end of the meeting on Libya in Vienna, which was also attended by Libya's Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj. The UN embargo on the sale of arms to Libya was imposed in 2011, at the start of the revolt against Muammar Gaddafi's regime.
While urging the legitimate Libyan military and security forces to work swiftly to implement a unified command in order to coordinate the fight against terrorist groups, including Da'esh, the delegations recognise that “security is key for the future of Libya. The government of national accord faces critical security challenges, but it does not face them alone”. They therefore say that they are also “ready to respond to the Libyan government's requests for training and equipping the Presidential Guard and vetted forces from throughout Libya”. In Vienna, Mogherini stated that the EU was working with the Libyan authorities “in the sectors of civilian security, meaning police, border control, all that is related to interior and justice ministries and also the institution building”.
In their statement, the delegations say they “look forward” to collaborating with the government of national accord and neighbouring countries to tackle the threat posed throughout the Mediterranean and on its land borders by criminal organisations engaged in all forms of smuggling and trafficking, including in human beings. “We appreciate the cooperation between Libyan authorities, neighbouring countries, and the European Union aimed at dismantling the business model used by the criminal networks, including through building the capacity of the Libyan coast guard”, the delegations add. On Friday 13 May, Mogherini announced a political agreement of the Europeans to train the Libyan coast guard. The agreement must nevertheless be adopted by the Council (see EUROPE 11551). Mogherini said in Vienna that this support could start “in the coming weeks”.
“The international community is willing to reopen diplomatic missions in Tripoli as soon as possible”, the delegations add, calling on the government to take all necessary measures in order to provide the security conditions that will allow the return of the diplomatic missions.
For the delegations, all parties should work “constructively” towards the completion of the transitional institutional framework. “All segments of society from all Libya's regions must find their rightful place in the political process and contribute to charting the path towards stability”, the delegations state, encouraging Libya's new authorities “to strengthen their outreach” inside Libya and “seek effective mechanisms for a dialogue to support reconciliation”. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)