APS : Saturday, 21 January 2017
CAIRO (Egypt)- Minister of Maghreb Affairs, African Union and Arab League Abdelkader Messahel said Saturday in Cairo, Egypt,
that Algeria, from the outset of the crisis, increased efforts to give impetus to the peace process and national reconciliation by standing equidistant from all the parties and by encouraging them to embark on an inclusive dialogue to reach a consensus about the political transition within the framework of a consensual agreement.”
Messahel’s statement was made at the 10th ministerial meeting of Libya’s neighbouring countries.
Messahel mentioned “the contacts undertaken recently with the different Libyan political forces” and the visits made to Algeria by the head of the Presidential Council of the Government of National Accord, Fayez al-Sarraj, the adviser Aguila Salah, the president of the High State Council, Abderahmane Souihli, Marshal Khalifa Haftar, and many other Libyan officials and representatives of different political movements and influential personalities.
Those personalities expressed their concerns and hope to “reach a national consensus preserving Libya’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” he stressed.
Messahel urged the international community to continue to back UN process and make further efforts to unify Libyan people and assist them in reaching a political solution without foreign interference in their internal affairs, by ensuring that Libya’s higher interest prevails.
Solution to Libya crisis in the hands of Libyans, says Messahel
Minister of Maghreb Affairs, African Union and Arab League Abdelkader Messahel said Saturday, in Cairo, that the solution to the crisis in Libya can only come from Libyans themselves, without any foreign interference.
“We should encourage (Libyans) to find a common ground allowing them to reach a solution to the crisis through dialogue, national reconciliation and understanding as part of the UN process to settle the crisis,” Messahel said in an address at the 10th ministerial meeting of Libya’s neighbouring countries.
“We cannot choose the military option to put an end to the crisis,” the minister said.
The main goal of the political process is to “allow Libyan people to build strong national institutions and a unified army, a national police and security bodies,” he added.
Achieving such aims is likely to “strengthen the ability (of the Libyan people) to fight terrorism and meet the political, economic and security challenges.”
