West, Arab states urge Libyan parties to agree unity govt 'immediately'

Western and Arab states issued a joint declaration Monday urging rival sides in Libya to accept UN proposals for a power-sharing government "immediately" to end rampant instability in the country.

The statement was published jointly by the foreign ministers of Algeria, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Morocco, Qatar, Spain, Tunisia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and the United States as well as the EU foreign policy chief.

They "call on all parties in the Libyan political dialogue to immediately adopt the political agreement negotiated by the Special Representative to the United Nations, Mr (Bernardino) Leon," it reads.

Libya has had two administrations since August 2014, when a militia alliance that includes Islamists overran the capital, forcing the internationally recognized government to take refuge in Tobruk in the east.

UN envoy Leon has put forward proposals for a power-sharing government, but both the internationally recognized parliament and the Islamist-backed assembly have balked at the appointments.

The UN Security Council has threatened to impose sanctions on those who block a peace deal in Libya or undermine any political transition in the country, which descended into chaos after the fall of Moamer Kadhafi in 2011.

The new UN-backed government would be headed by Fayez el-Sarraj, a deputy in the Tripoli parliament, and include three deputy prime ministers, one each from the west, east and south of the country.

A meeting hosted by the UN Support Mission in Libya and Britain brought together representatives of 40 countries on Monday to seek ways to support a "Government of National Accord" in Libya.

"There is no other way except, God forbids, a further slide into bloodshed and chaos," said Ali Al-Za'tari, deputy special representative of the secretary-general for Libya in a statement.

A unity government in Libya is seen as the best chance to tackle migrant-smuggling from Libyan territory across the Mediterranean and the rise of the Islamic State group.

Shellings

Five people were killed by shelling in Benghazi late Monday, a local hospital reported, as the Islamic State group claimed it had executed two men in the east of the war-torn country.

The Al-Jalaa hospital in Benghazi announced on Facebook that four people were killed in the shelling and a fifth died in hospital, while three others were injured.

"Most of (the casualties are) children under the age of 10," it said.

A military source in Benghazi confirmed the incident, which happened in the central area of Laithi, but refused to say who was behind the violence.

Separately, Islamic State jihadists, in a video bearing the logo of Burqa, one of the "states" which the militants claim to control, said it had executed two men in eastern Libya.

One was introduced as a South Sudanese Christian, and the other was a Libyan said to be fighting for the country's internationally recognized government.

Libya has had two administrations since August 2014, when a militia alliance that includes Islamists overran the capital Tripoli, forcing lawmakers to take refuge in Tobruk in the east.
(i24news.tv with AFP)
20/10/15
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Related:
 

• UN SC Threatens to Sanction Those Disrupting Libya's Political Transition 

• Libya agrees new national unity government (UN)

• Libya's internationally recognized House of Representatives (parliament) on Monday rejected the UN-proposed agreement for a unity government, parliament members said.

Libyan Prime Minister Ali Al-Tekbali confirmed the rejection, saying that the decision was taken by a majority of members during a parliament session, but without voting.

"The House of Representatives (HOR) has unanimously decided to reject the UN proposal as it conflicts with the fourth draft that was signed initially," Libyan news agency quoted parliament members as saying.

However, the Tripoli-based parliament, HOR's rival, has not decided on the UN proposal.

Bernardino Leon, head of UN Support Mission in Libya, announced on Oct. 8 that the Libyan warring parties have finally agreed to form a government of national accord after almost a year of political dialogue sessions.

Libya has been suffering a political crisis with two rival parliament and government battling for legitimacy.

Since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi's regime in 2011, the country has been struggling to make a democratic transition.

The UN has brokered several rounds of dialogue between the conflicting parties since last September, but clashes persisted despite a truce agreed by the warring factions.
 Xinhua - globaltimes.cn
20/10/15