Libya, Draghi: "We are moving towards simultaneous elections in December". Then: "Unsustainable landings situation"

• Libya, the international conference with Draghi, Merkel and Macron in Paris

• Conference on Libya in Berlin: "Away with all foreign forces"

• Draghi: "Italy is alongside Libya in the transition"

• Italy-Libya.

  Draghi: "The goal is to increase interchange. A unique moment to rebuild"

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November 12, 2021 "The fundamental fact of this conference is that the Libyan head of state al Memphis and Prime Minister Dbeibah are present here to present the result, who have made their own path towards stability, a path led by Libya agreed with all of us". Prime Minister Mario Draghi indicated this at the press conference at the end of the meeting on Libya in Paris.

Draghi added that the agreement is for simultaneous elections on December 24, as there are two calls to vote, one for the presidential elections and the other for electing parliamentarians. President Menfi then specified that they could take place immediately one after the other, one also on December 25th.

According to Draghi, the assumption of direct responsibility of the two leading Libyan exponents, "ready to work together", is a fundamental fact for realizing the path outlined. It is a process based on four pillars: the first is that the elections take place simultaneously for the presidency and the parliament and that the result is accepted.

"The Libyans want to vote, there are already three million voters"; and to vote it is necessary to define the electoral law "in the coming days" with the agreement of all; the second pillar is the path towards stability in terms of security starting from the fact that the ceasefire has worked for a year and a half, "there is no war, there is peace"; the third pillar is the economy: the central bank must be consolidated and a single budget for the country is needed; the fourth pillar is that of human rights for which we must be aware that the situation "must be faced together".

 "These continuous landings on Italy make the situation unsustainable, the EU must find an agreement", declared the prime minister. "We too must invest more to help Libyans create better human conditions," he added.

"There is an electoral calendar for Libya, December 24, and there is unanimous support from the international community for this calendar. It must be an inclusive process and with the participation of all forces in the electoral process". This was said by French President Emmanuel Macron who added how the plan for the withdrawal of military forces and mercenaries must be respected and, indeed, will begin to be implemented in the coming weeks. It will concern three hundred mercenaries. The French president then specified that "Turkey and Russia will have to withdraw their military or mercenary forces which are a factor of instability".

At the conclusion of the international conference on Libya, the leaders or representatives of about thirty countries reaffirmed their commitment "to the success of the Libyan political process and the holding of presidential and legislative elections on 24 December, in accordance with the Libyan political road map, to the resolutions 2570 and 2571 of the UN Security Council and the conclusions of the second Berlin conference ". It can be read in the declaration of the conference co-chaired by France, Germany, Italy, Libya under UN aegis.

It is confirmation that a political and institutional solution to the Libyan crisis is possible. The conference indicates the commitment to "fight terrorism in Libya by any means". All Libyan parties are asked to "disassociate themselves from groups and individuals designated as terrorists by the United Nations".

In the final declaration it is added that "persons or entities inside or outside Libya who attempt to obstruct, question, manipulate or falsify the electoral process and the political transition will have to be accountable and may be registered on the list of the committee of UN sanctions ".

Finally, all international actors are asked to respect the electoral process in Libya and candidates are asked to respect "the rights of political opponents before, during and after the elections and to accept the result".

The conference, which was also attended by Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov, also affirms support for the action plan for the withdrawal of mercenaries, foreign fighters and foreign forces from Libyan territory which was drawn up by the Joint Military Commission 5+ 5 in compliance with resolution 2570 of the UN Security Council.

In the final document there is an explicit reference to the issue of migrants: there is the commitment "to act against all violations and abuses of migrants, the smuggling of migrants and the trafficking of human beings or their facilitation". Violations of this kind such as violations of humanitarian law and human rights in Libya "can be a basis for the designation of targeted UN Security Council sanctions, including travel bans and asset freezes."

French President Macron at the final press conference recalled the political importance of taking direct responsibility of the current Libyan government in attending the conference and its co-direction.

Turkey expressed reservations on the passage in the final document of the conference on Libya which refers to the exit from the country of foreign military forces. This is because for Ankara the Turkish military was called in by a government supported by the UN (it is the government of al Sarraj). Diplomatic sources have indicated this. Turkey is represented by the Deputy Foreign Minister. "It is important that the elections take place on December 24 simultaneously, presidential and parliamentary, but to do so we need an electoral law. It is therefore my hope that this law will be made with the agreement of all those who will work together not in the coming weeks. , but in the next few days, because it is urgent to be able to vote on December 24th ". Prime Minister Mario Draghi said this at the final press conference.

The next six weeks will

The next six weeks will be "crucial" for the success of the elections in Libya. This was declared by the French president. Macron underlined the importance of the presence at the top of the countries bordering Libya and the unity shown by the international community in supporting the electoral process in Libya. The French president asked the Libyan authorities to find "an inclusive path for the participation of all parties" at the polls. 

"It is important that Libya can decide its future again and the elections of December 24 are decisive". German Chancellor Angela Merkel said this, according to which "some things have already been done, others must be done and I hope that preparations are made so that the results of the elections are accepted".

"The condition of the" good holding of these elections is stability and security and therefore it is important that the withdrawal of foreign mercenaries does not remain on paper, "Merkel said, announcing that" Germany is ready to send observers. "Equally important is "to proceed with the reconciliation of the various Libyan forces", added the chancellor.

The presence of al-Menfi and Abdul Hamid Dbeibah in Paris "means two things: they have made their own path towards stability led by Libya and agreed with all of us and it is the demonstration that they are ready to work together towards complicated appointments but for which we are confident that they will be resolved in the best interest for Libya ".

Anyone who fails to recognize the outcome of the vote in Libya will have to be sanctioned. This was stated by the Libyan interim prime minister, Abdul Hamid Mohammed Dbeibah, at the final press conference of the Paris Conference on Libya. "It was a very important meeting, we reaffirmed that the organization of the elections is a national deadline and we will spare no effort to meet the deadline" of 24 December.

"Let's not forget the role of the Italian Republic in this process for Libya".

This was stated by the president of the Libyan presidential council, Mohamed al Menfi, in the press conference at the end of the Paris Conference on Libya, also thanking the French president, Emmanuel Macron, and the German chancellor, Angela Merkel.

"I hope this conference is an essential step, a bright spot for the transformation of Libya into a democratic country".