Messahel: “On behalf of Algeria, I urge all Libyans to stop hostilities”

Libyan stakeholders must give the country’s United Nations-facilitated peace process a chance in order for a political solution to take hold and end the ongoing fighting in the North African nation, the head of the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) has declared.

“We are here today to send a strong message that no more Libyans should be killed. No more Libyans should lose their lives,” Special Representative of the Secretary General for Libya and head of UNSMIL, Bernardino León said today in his opening remarks to the latest meeting of Libyan political leaders and activists held Monday in Algiers

“There must be a possibility for all Libyans to live together.”

In his address, the deputy Minister for Maghreb and African Affairs Abdelkader Messahel underlined Monday in Algiers that “only Libyans can end their crisis,” calling on the protagonists to join their efforts for the formation of a national unity.

“We are convinced that the only solution is the one that Libyans would brought in full sovereignty,” said Messahel at the opening of the 2^nd round of inter-Libyan dialogue, under the aegis of the United Nations.

“It’s our duty, as brothers, neighbouring countries and international partners of Libya, to assist Libyans in all sincerity and with perseverance to bring peace, unity and well-being in the country,” Mr Messahel underscored.

“We have to encourage them to take brave measures in order to calm the situation in preparation for a peaceful solution,” said Messahel.

“To that end, Algeria calls on all brothers to put the supreme interests of the Libyan people first, to live up to the great sacrifices made by Libyans and to join their efforts for the formation of a national unity government,” he added.

Algeria has called on the Libyan brothers, through Messahel, to “end hostilities and establish the ceasefire urged by the UN Security Council.”

The minister also reiterated Algeria’s constant support to the UN efforts to restore security, peace and stability in Libya, “away from any foreign interference and in full respect of its sovereignty and its territorial integrity, adding that “Libya’s enemy is terrorism, instability and chaos.”

The Algiers meeting is a follow-up to an earlier one that took place in March also in the Algerian capital during which participants expressed strong support for dialogue as the way to resolve Libya’s crisis peacefully. Past sessions have brought together representatives of Libyan municipalities and local councils in Geneva in January and in Brussels last month. The talks are aimed at including wide segments of Libyan society in the peace process.

Addressing those gathered at today’s meeting, Mr. Leon admitted that while reaching an agreement would prove to be “very challenging” and require “generosity and determination” on behalf of the participants, full acceptance of divergent views remained “the essence of democracy” and the key to Libya’s future.

“Only those who are against democracy, who are for extremism, are excluding themselves,” he added. “We will all of us have to give up a little bit to achieve agreement.”

A meeting that brings together tribal personalities will convene at a later date in Egypt. The UN Mission in the country is also reaching out to military, security and armed groups leaders.