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6 Western Governments Call on Libyan Parliament to Endorse New Cabinet | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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Rebels hold a young man at gunpoint, who they accuse of being a loyalist to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, between the towns of Brega and Ras Lanuf, March 3, 2011. REUTERS/Goran Tomasevic


Cairo- National Reconciliation Government Prime Minister Fayez Al-Sarraj revealed that he requested U.S. military assistance at the time when five Western governments urged him to present a new cabinet line-up to the Libyan parliament to be endorsed within ten days.

Governments of France, Germany, Italy, Spain, U.K. and U.S. wished that the list be submitted quickly and called on the Libyan parliament to convene and vote on it within ten days.

In a joint statement, these governments considered that the members of parliament are responsible for these decisive upcoming steps in order to fully implement the Skhirat Agreement for being the only means to restoring peace and stability in Libya.

The statement assured Libyan people that these governments stand firmly behind Libyans, the parliament and Sarraj’s government.

U.N. Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Libya Martin Kobler reiterated his support to Sarraj’s government considering it the sole executive authority in the country that falls in line with relevant U.N. resolutions and the Libyan political agreement.

Kobler called on the Libyan parliament to endorse the National Reconciliation Government once the new list is submitted to the Libyan parliament. He added that Sarraj’s government should continue to carry out its tasks until the list of new ministers is granted confidence.

While Sarraj expressed his appreciation to U.S. commitment to support his government in the fight against ISIS, Akilah Saleh, speaker of the Tobruk-based parliament, threatened to refer to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and file a lawsuit against the U.N. for deepening the gap in Libya and hurdling efforts to solve the crisis.

Saleh called on United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to stop dealing with Sarraj’s government and its presidential council especially after the no-confidence decision has been taken by the parliament.