13-19 Dec: UNSC and Salame Reaffirm That 17 December Is ‘Non-Date’

Dec 19, 2017 | International actors

On 17 December, a new joint statement was issued by the regional troika, Tunisia, Egypt and Algeria, reaffirming their full backing to the Libyan Political Agreement (LPA) and its associated security and political initiatives, especially the military unification process. The statement was issued from Tunis after a meeting on the same day between Algerian Minister for Foreign and Arab Affairs Abdelkader Messahel and Government of National Accord (GNA) Prime Minister Fayez al-Serraj.

A statement issued by the UN Security Council President on 15 December, as well as statements by the UN envoy Ghassan Salame throughout the last two weeks, maintain that the 17 December date was a ‘non-date’ and that the LPA remains the only legitimate political framework by which to stabilise and reunify the country’s institutions. On 17 December, Salame issued a statement calling for all parties to refrain from any actions that could undermine the political process and insisted that free and fair elections next year would result in institutional and political normality in Libya.

On December 12, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held talks with the GNA Foreign Minister Mohamed Siala in Moscow, during which they reportedly discussed the UN Action Plan for Libya and several practical aspects of bilateral Russian-Libyan relations, including restoring trade and economic ties. Lavrov stressed Russia would do everything necessary to facilitate an end to Libya’s current political crisis under the auspices of the UN. On 13 December, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov was cited as saying that Russia is ready to consider easing the current U arms embargo on Libya which has been in place since the 2011 uprisings.