Aboul Gheit: Political Dialogue Is Libya's Only Solution

The Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, again called for an immediate cessation of hostilities in Libya and to engage in a political dialogue under the auspices of the United Nations to stop the bloodshed of Libyans, condemning foreign military interventions in the Libyan affairs.

On the occasion of Eid Al-Fitr, the Arab league’s secretary-general reiterated his request to the Libyan parties to abandon the military option and commit to a ceasefire throughout the Libyan territories, and to engage in good faith in a political dialogue under the auspices of the United Nations, stressing that this is the only way to reach a comprehensive and lasting settlement to the conflict that is tearing the country apart.

Aboul Gheit expressed his deep annoyance at the increase in foreign military interventions in the domestic affairs of the Arab country which are considered rejected and condemned according to the various resolutions previously approved by the LAS Council in this regard.

Foreign Interventions into Libya

Furthermore, Aboul Gheit stressed that it is not possible to reach any desired settlement, which must be a purely Libyan national, without putting an end to all these interventions that fuel the conflict and unfortunately contribute to tearing apart the societal fabric of this important Arab country and the active member of the Arab family.

Aboul Gheit stated that the Libyan people have suffered and are still suffering from the scourge of fighting, destruction, sabotage and pision, whose repercussions have worsened over the course of 14 months since the start of the military battles around the capital, Tripoli, and the western regions of the country.

He stressed that there is no military solution to the existing crisis, especially since all developments showed the inability of any party to impose coercive or inpidual solutions conducive to achieving security or extending stability over the entire territory of the African country.

[caption id="attachment_110465" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] A boy carries a sign reading Libya is not a place for terrorism'[/caption]

The Egyptian diplomat renewed his appeal to the concerned leaders to respond to international calls and the efforts of the U.N. mission in Libya aimed at resuming the negotiation process between the government in Tripoli and the Libyan National Army within the framework of the Joint Military Committee (Committee 5 + 5) to reach a formal agreement for a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire that includes specific mechanisms to monitor it under the umbrella of the United Nations.

Libya, once one of the most prosperous nations in Africa, remains fractured and devastated since the 2011 NATO bombing campaign that helped militant forces oust and kill long-time leader Muammar Gaddhafi. 

After the war, the country became a playground for various competing militias, as well as a major human trafficking thoroughfare.

Turkey has already sent some Syrian rebels to fight in Tripoli and assembled more in training camps in Turkey to prepare for deployment, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an independent monitoring outfit.