Late on the evening on Tuesday 25 July, the European Union hailed the joint declaration from Fayez Sarraj, President of the Government of National Accord and General Khalifa Haftar, commander of the Libyan National Army that was adopted earlier that day in Paris.
This agreement "represents a significant contribution towards reconciliation and drawing up a political solution", an EU spokesperson told EUROPE. "We hope that all Libyans stakeholders will seize this crucial moment and unite to foster a sustained and inclusive dialogue and to ensure follow up to the present commitments", the spokesperson added.
Meeting in Paris at French President Emmanuel Macron's initiative, Sarraj and Haftar recognised that "the solution to the Libyan crisis could only be political and involved a process of national reconciliation bringing together all Libyans, including institutional, security and military actors from the state who are ready to participate in it peacefully". Sarraj and Haftar thus committed to working, within the framework of the Skhirat agreement, towards a ceasefire and towards establishing a roadmap for security and defence focusing on the reunification of military and security institutions in order to coordinate on the fight against terrorism, to ensure the control of migrant flows transiting Libyan territory, to make the borders secure and control them, and to fight against organised criminal networks. Sarraj and Haftar decided to work with all the relevant Libyan institutions on the preparation of general and presidential elections "as soon as possible" – with Macron speaking of "spring 2018". The two Libyans also agreed to support the work of the new UN special representative, Ghassan Salamé.
The EU spokesperson stated that the Foreign Affairs Council on 17 July had called on all the Libyan stakeholders to take forward consultations on limited amendments to the Libya political agreement to ensure its inclusiveness and to fully implement it (see EUROPE 11831). "This will help to prepare the ground for the adoption of a Constitution and for the holding of general and presidential elections", the spokesperson said.
According to the EU spokesperson, the EU will continue to support the reconciliation process and will continue to provide financial assistance for re-establishing normal governance and helping the Libyan people. "We will also continue to work in the framework of the Libya Quartet", the spokesperson added.
Earlier in the day, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini said she had discussed the French initiative with Macron during her visit to Paris in mid-July. She had also been warned personally by France's Foreign Minister Jean-Yves le Drian on the phone last week about the holding of the meeting between the two Libyan leaders. The French initiative is being taken in support of the United Nations action and within the framework of the Skhirat agreement, taking account of the initiatives of the international organisations involved in Libya and of the work being conducted by countries that are friends and partners of Libya. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)