Vella welcomes new round of talks on Libyan future

EU, US and UN express concern over deteriorating situation in Libya

Foreign affairs minister George Vella sits across from UN Special Envoy Bernardino Leon (file photo)
Foreign affairs minister George Vella sits across from UN Special Envoy Bernardino Leon (file photo)

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs has welcomed the United Nations Support Mission in Libya’s (UNSMIL) announcement that a new round of political dialogue will be launched on the 9 December 2014.

George Vella said he was pleased to note that various Libyan actors had agreed that there is no alternative to an inclusive political dialogue. “The ministry strongly appeals and encourages all the main actors in Libya to participate actively in the forthcoming round of talks.”

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs reiterated its support and assistance to Bernardino Leon, the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary General, for his commendable efforts and initiatives to broker such talks and find a comprehensive settlement to the crisis.

The foreign ministers of France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom, and the U.S. Secretary of State and the High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, as well as the UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs have met in Brussels where they expressed grave concern over the deteriorating situation in Libya.

They welcomed the announcement by Leon to convene a new round of talks bringing together key Libyans.

They welcomed the positive reactions of the parties and urged them to participate constructively and without any conditions in this process, which represents the most viable path for Libya to chart its own future.

In their statement, they praised the “courageous Libyan patriots who have taken risks for peace by engaging in this process” and strongly endorsed the UN’s efforts to work with key stakeholders to build a national unity government for Libya, and committed themselves to support such a government.

They also strongly condemned recent violence, including air strikes, which undermined the prospects for a negotiated settlement, and highlighted the terrible suffering for all in Libya caused by the continued violence.

France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, the United States, the EU and the UN reiterated their calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities and underscored their willingness, if key stakeholders fail to participate in the UN-led process, to consider additional measures to protect Libya’s unity, stability and prosperity, and to counter expanding terrorist threats to Libya and the region.