The Arab League stressed on Monday the importance of a comprehensive political solution in Libya, while noting its strong opposition to foreign interventions in the conflict-hit state.
In a final resolution that was issued following an online meeting of Arab foreign ministers, the Arab League emphasised the “need for restoring the Libyan nation state and its institutions’ role in serving the Libyan people, far from foreign interventions.”
The resolution also includes the Arab League’s backing of the 2017 Skhirat agreement, the Berlin conference and the “outcomes of the different regional and international paths.”
The document also referred to the “central role of the neighbouring countries to Libya in ending the Libyan crisis,” opposing and seeing a necessity in “stopping foreign interventions—regardless of their source and nature—that facilitate the transfer of terrorist, foreign fighters into Libya, as well as the violation of international decisions about an arms embargo,” as weapons “present a threat to the region and Libya’s neighbouring countries.”
The Arab League welcomed a recent Egyptian resolution initiative, as well as all peace-seeking international efforts, expressing complete support for the United Nations’ endeavours to solve the conflict.
The resolution also called on for an immediate ceasefire, to be implemented in light of the 5+5 talks in Geneva.
The resolution also condemned all human rights violations in Libya and highlighted the importance of protecting all foreigners in the North African country.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said during the meeting that Cairo has constantly worked, using all diplomatic channels, to achieve a convergence of views among all the Libyan parties.
Shoukry, according to ministry spokesman Ahmed Hafez, also said that Egypt has been involved in all international initiatives that seek to settle the conflict.
He said that Egypt, in cooperating with the UN, is invested in playing a part in making the Berlin political-economic path a successful one, in addition to the 5+5 talks, that will involve military and security arrangements.
Egypt also wants Libya to restore its economic wellbeing, reform its institutions under parliamentary supervision, and activate the central bank and oil institutions in the country, within a framework of transparency and equal distribution of resources, Shoukry stated.
He said that Egypt has continued to warn about the threat of spreading terrorism in Libya, emphasising that Egypt will not hesitate to take all measures to prevent the fall of Libya and its people in the hands of terrorists.
He also warned against foreign interventions in Libya that back militias and transfer terrorists and foreign mercenaries from Syria to Libya, which “threatens Libyan stability and security and Arab national security.”
The Arab countries have to work together to end these practices, concluded Shoukry.
On Twitter, the Libyan foreign ministry announced it was downgrading its representation at the Arab ministerial meeting, criticising “double standards.”
“So far, the [Arab League] session that Libya has called for since April last year has not been held, despite securing the quorum,” the ministry tweeted on Tuesday.
