The United Nations Office at Geneva
Multimedia Newsroom
UNSMIL Press conference continuity 21 October 2020
/
32:55
/
MP4
/
2.4 GB
SHOTLIST OF THE EDITED STORY:
- Exterior wide shot, car passing in front of Palais des Nations, nations’ flags flying, a beautiful day.
- Exterior medium shot, Palais des Nations alley, nations’ flags flying, a beautiful day.
- Wide shot, podium with speaker in a near-empty Room XIV in line with COVID-19 distancing measures, Palais des Nations.
- SOUNDBITE (English) — Stephanie Williams, Acting Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Support Mission for Libya (UNSMIL): “After two days of the first face-to-face direct talks between the two Libyan delegations to the 5+5 Joint Military Commission – these talks which have been marked by a great degree of patriotism and professionalism and an insistence on maintaining Libya’s unity and sovereignty -- I am pleased to report that the two sides have reached agreement on several important issues which directly impact the lives and welfare of the Libyan people."
- Medium shot, delegations entering the meeting room, wearing masks, Palais des Nations.
- SOUNDBITE (English) — Stephanie Williams, Acting Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Support Mission for Libya (UNSMIL): “The 5+5 have agreed to the opening of the land routes that connect all the regions and cities of Libya.”
- Medium shot, delegations entering the meeting room and sitting down, wearing masks, Palais des Nations.
- SOUNDBITE (English) — Stephanie Williams, Acting Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Support Mission for Libya (UNSMIL: “The 5+5 have also agreed to the opening of air routes throughout Libya, and especially flights to Sebha, which is the administrative capital of the Southern region.”
- Medium shot, journalists standing behind cameras, Room XIV, Palais des Nations.
- SOUNDBITE (English) — Stephanie Williams, Acting Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Support Mission for Libya (UNSMIL): “The 5+5 agreed upon with the need to end the use of inflammatory and escalatory media rhetoric, to halt the use of hate speech and they urged the judicial authorities to take the necessary deterrent measures to hold accountable the channels and social media platforms that have been promoting hate speech and inciting violence, while ensuring that freedom of expression and speech is protected.”
- Medium shot, near-empty Room XIV in line with COVID-19 distancing measures, Palais des Nations.
- SOUNDBITE (English) — Stephanie Williams, Acting Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Support Mission for Libya (UNSMIL): “The two sides also agreed to support and continue the current state of calm on the frontlines and to avoid any military escalation.”
- Close-up, journalist taking pictures between two seats, Room XIV, Palais des Nations
- SOUNDBITE (English) — Stephanie Williams, Acting Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Support Mission for Libya (UNSMIL): “So, in light of this emerging hope and these positive developments, I reiterate the call made by the Secretary-General on the 23 March for a global ceasefire, and I urge the two parties, negotiating here in Geneva, to solve all outstanding issues and forge a lasting ceasefire agreement. Thank you.”
- Medium shot, men wearing a mask in foreground and journalist typing on laptop to rear, Room XIV, Palais des Nations.
- SOUNDBITE (English) — Stephanie Williams, Acting Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Support Mission for Libya (UNSMIL): “Well, I have to say the reasons for my optimism directly here is the real spirit of professionalism, conviviality that I see between the two delegations where they have easily come together and in just two days, have addressed some really important issues, and as I said, these are issues which directly impact the lives of their compatriots and this was really an area of a focus in their… including in their opening remarks to these talks, that they feel they have a responsibility to their fellow Libyans to make a difference.”
- Close-up, showing camera filming the speaker, Room XIV, Palais des Nations.
- Medium shot, journalist taking notes, sitting in the front row, Room XIV, Palais des Nations.
- Close-up, hands writing in a notebook, Room XIV, Palais des Nations.
- Medium shot, first delegation arrival, participants stepping out of a car, wearing masks.
- Medium shot, second delegation arrival, participants stepping out of a car, wearing masks.
Geneva: Agreement reached by Libyan military delegations
Libyan military delegations from the opposing sides in the conflict have agreed on several measures that will have will have “a direct and material positive impact on the lives of the Libyan people”, according to the top United Nations official in the country, Stephanie Williams.
Speaking at a press conference at the United Nations in Geneva, where the talks are being held this week, Ms. Williams said that “after two days of the first face-to-face direct talks between the two Libyan delegations to the 5+5 Joint Military Commission -- these talks which have been marked by a great degree of patriotism and professionalism and an insistence on maintaining Libya’s unity and sovereignty -- I am pleased to report that the two sides have reached agreement on several important issues which directly impact the lives and welfare of the Libyan people.”
The “5+5 Joint Military Commission” refers to a group consisting of 5 senior military leaders from the Government of National Accord and 5 senior military officers of the opposition Libyan National Army.
“The 5+5 have agreed to the opening of the land routes that connect all the regions and cities of Libya” Ms. Williams announced, highlighting the relief that this could bring to the communities in the South of the country that have been most deprived of basic services.
“The 5+5 have also agreed to the opening of air routes throughout Libya, and especially flights to Sebha, which is the administrative capital of the Southern region.” she added.
In an important development designed to de-escalate tensions, the two sides will also cease fanning the flames of division through hate speech. “The 5+5 agreed upon with the need to end the use of inflammatory and escalatory media rhetoric, to halt the use of hate speech and they urged the judicial authorities to take the necessary deterrent measures to hold accountable the channels and social media platforms that have been promoting hate speech and inciting violence, while ensuring that freedom of expression and speech is protected, “ Ms. Williams said.
These measures are seen as supporting a fourth point of the agreement, namely that “the two sides also agreed to support and continue the current state of calm on the frontlines and to avoid any military escalation.”
Additional points of agreement reached after two days of talks at the United Nations in Geneva – based on the recommendations put forward by the joint military and security committee that met in September in the Egyptian city of Hurghada - include to continue supporting the exchange of detainees, and to work toward full resumption of oil production through a restructuring of the Petroleum Facilities Guards.
This fourth round of talks is occurring against the backdrop of a number of positive developments in Libya, according to Ms. Williams, including the continuation of calm on the frontlines, the resumption of half of the country’s oil production, the holding of municipal elections in some locations, and an on-going political process aimed at including all sectors of Libyan society.
“In light of this emerging hope and these positive developments, I reiterate the call made by the Secretary-General on the 23 March for a global ceasefire,” Ms. Williams said, in reference to the UN’s push to pause armed conflict globally in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, “and I urge the two parties, negotiating here in Geneva, to solve all outstanding issues and forge a lasting ceasefire agreement.”
In response to a question from a journalist on whether there was truly good cause to be optimistic for the future of Libya, the Acting Special Representative said that the reason for her positive outlook was “the real spirit of professionalism, conviviality that I see between the two delegations.”
She added that “they have easily come together and in just two days, have addressed some really important issues.”
Throughout the press conference, Ms. Williams emphasized that an unacceptable degree of foreign intervention has emphasized the need for Libyan-owned and Libyan-led solutions that would fully restore the country’s sovereignty. The ultimate goal, she said, is the holding of national elections.
Going back to the reasons for feeling optimistic, Ms. Williams mentioned that the agreement in Geneva between the military officials today as focused on “issues which directly impact the lives of their compatriots.”
“They feel they have a responsibility to their fellow Libyans to make a difference,” she said.
The two sides will continue talks in Geneva today to focus on arrangements for Libya’s central region, which are to pave the way for a ceasefire agreement.
Teleprompter
Thank you very much for being with us this morning for the press conference by the Acting Special Representative of the Secretary General and Head of the UN Support Mission for Libya, Stephanie Williams, who is with us today.
This is an hybrid press conference.
So we have people in the room, but we also have people on the platform.
And I will try to give the floor to everybody for questions after the initial remarks that Mrs.
Williams will give us now.
And I will also like to welcome the colleagues who are in Tripoli listening to us.
So, Mrs.
Williams, I'll I'll give you the floor to start and then we will go to the question and answers.
Thank you.
Good morning after two days of the first face to face direct talks between the two Libyan delegations to the 5 + 5 Joint Military Commission.
These talks, which have been marked by a great degree of patriotism and professionalism and an insistence on maintaining Libya's unity and sovereignty.
I am pleased to report that the two sides have reached agreement on several important issues which directly impact the lives and welfare of the Libyan people.
These points of agreement are #1 The 5 + 5 have agreed to the opening of the land routes that connect all the regions and cities of Libya.
The parties agreed to initiate joint security arrangements with a special focus on the roads for the land routes from Shawarif to Sebha and to Maruzuk and from Abu Gren to Jafra and on the Coastal Rd from Misrata to Sirte and onwards to Ajdabia.
As you may be aware, while socio economic conditions have deteriorated all over Libya, they are especially dire in the South of the country, which has traditionally been marginalised and deprived of basic services such as the delivery of fuel and the absence of cash.
The decisions taken by the 5 + 5 will therefore have a direct and material positive impact on the lives of the Libyan people.
The 5 + 5 have also agreed to the opening of air routes throughout Libya and especially flights to Sebha, which is the administrative capital of the southern region.
The delegations directed that the civilian aviation authorities take all necessary measures to open these air routes as quickly as possible.
The Third Point of agreement that the 5 + 5 agreed upon was the need to end the use of inflammatory and escalatory media rhetoric to halt the use of hate speech.
And they urged the judicial authorities to take the necessary deterrent measures to hold accountable the channels and social media platforms that have been promoting hate speech and inciting violence while ensuring that freedom of expression and speech is protected.
They also agreed to send a direct message to these channels and platforms, including those attached to both parties to the conflict, to urge them to refrain from airing to airing content that constitutes hate speech.
The two sides also agreed to support and continue the current state of calm on the front lines and to avoid any military escalation.
The fifth point, they agreed to support efforts underway, especially those taken by the Elders Councils towards the exchange of detainees, the 5 + 5 identified points of contact for the Eastern and Western regions in order to facilitate and to coordinate these efforts.
And here I would like to thank and acknowledge the efforts by by a number of important Libyan leaders to encourage these efforts, and I salute the great work of the Elders Councils.
With regard to the issue of the full resumption of oil production, the two sides agreed to delegate the commanders of the Petroleum Facilities Guards from the east and West of the country to work directly with a representative appointed by the National Oil Corporation to present a proposal for the restructuring of the petroleum Facilities Guards to the 5 + 5.
And this will ensure the increase and continuation of the flow of Libya's oil.
These agreements reached by the two sides in the last two days are based on the recommendations that were put forward by the Joint Military and Security Committee that met last month in the Egyptian city of Harada.
The two sides to the 5 + 5 Joint Military Commission will today take up the issue of arrangements for Libya's central region, paving the way for a ceasefire agreement.
I'd like here to note that the fourth round of these military talks is occurring against the backdrop of many positive developments, including the continuation of calm on the front lines, the resumption of half of the country's oil production with force majeure having been having been lifted on Sharara, which is Libya's largest oil field.
The increased social and political fluidity between and amongst Libyans, an example of which was the visit over the weekend to Misrata by eastern elders to visit detainees and to discuss an exchange of detainees.
On the political front, Unsmill is in the final stages of preparations for the launch of the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum, with the virtual preparatory meeting of the forum to take place on October 26th and the in person meeting to take place in Tunis beginning on November 9th.
In the lead up to these political talks, the Mission has held a number of consultations with a broad range of Libyan stakeholders and constituencies, including, I would note, with young Libyans and with the Libyan municipalities.
Over the weekend, I launched our youth track in a meeting with 40 young Libyan men and women and I've requested that they present recommendations for the political track.
We also over the weekend conducted a digital dialogue which witnessed the participation of 1000 dynamic young Libyans.
In addition, we continue to see the conducting of municipal elections around the country, with recent polling taking place in Zawiya S Cabal, Jadu and El Haraba.
And this, of course, is a great expression of democracy and popular participation and selection of their representatives.
So in light of this emerging hope and these positive developments, I reiterate the call made by the Secretary General on the 23rd of March for a global ceasefire.
And I urge the two parties negotiating here in Geneva to solve all outstanding issues and forge a lasting ceasefire agreement.
Thank you.
Thank you very much, Miss Williams, for this introductory very encouraging remarks.
I will now start the question and answer session by asking our colleague journalist who would like to ask a question.
I'll start with the room and I recognise Hassan.
Can you introduce yourself to Missus Williams please?
Taha from AB, to what extent are you optimistic to reach an agreement?
Look, I'm, I'm quite optimistic.
I certainly from what I've seen, from what I've seen in the room in these direct talks, there is an air of seriousness and commitment.
And I think this is in addition to the positive developments that I've outlined.
Of course, you know, there are continuing worrying developments, which is the socio economic conditions in the country which are deteriorating.
And of course the COVID pandemic is increasing exponentially in the country and all of this is contributing to a deterioration of living standards.
And and of course there is a continues to be a great deal of a degree of foreign intervention in the country.
What I think makes these talks important is that these are Libyan, Libyan talks.
This will be a Libyan owned solution.
And what I see, as I said in the beginning of my remarks, is a real determination to preserve the country's unity and sovereignty.
Thank you, Mrs.
Williams.
Sir, introduce yourself, please, if you have a mic on your right.
Good morning, goodness.
Williams, you're.
From.
Al Arabi And it's sure that the confidence building measure that you announced today are very important for the human being, for the ordinary.
Citizen in Libya, in all Libya, do you think?
That these these.
Confidence building measure needs any kind.
Of observers that should be.
It should.
Be implemented on the ground because.
As you know there are many factors, elements, militia etcetera.
They could jeopardise these confidence building measure and do you expect by the end of this 4th?
Session you can.
Make.
Substantial progress.
Towards the ceasefire.
Until Sunday.
Or Saturday.
Thank you.
Look, on the confidence building measures, they're already starting.
So, you know, last week we saw a flight that took place between Tripoli and Benghazi.
They're going to resume the regular schedule of flights between these two major Libyan cities, West and east towards the end of this week.
The parties here have determined that, you know, flights should be opened throughout the country with a, with a special emphasis on Sebha.
You know, the, the UN mission is, is, is in Libya to, to help the Libyans.
But what what I am really impressed by is the fact that they are, they're doing this themselves.
These are Libyan solutions, you know, they are, they are the Civil Aviation authorities are coordinating amongst themselves, you know, to launch the flights.
They're taking the necessary measures on their own.
And I think that is really the most optimistic and positive development that that I have seen.
After all, it's their country and Libya is for Libyans and that is why I continue to be very optimistic that the parties here are going to reach a more lasting and permanent ceasefire.
Other questions from the room.
I don't.
Yes, Stephanie Reuters.
Sorry about that, Reuters.
Stephanie Nebaheken.
Are you, are you expecting Prime Minister Suraj to then follow?
Through and resign.
At the end of this month and what sort of impact would that have on the process you're steering here, please?
So I think Prime Minister Suraj was quite serious in his announcement and his his desire to depart and to turn the authority over to a new executive.
And that is why was one of the reasons why of course we are we are pressing forward on the political talks, which will of course the ultimate objective of the political talks and the political process is the holding of national elections, which in our broad consultations, And this really goes back a couple of years with the national conference process.
But also more recently, as we have been in, in discussions with a number of Libyan constituencies, there is an overwhelming call for the holding of national elections to address the crisis of legitimacy in Libya, elections for a president and parliamentary elections with a constitutional basis.
So I think Mr Suraj has taken a very courageous decision.
I think it presents presents the Libyan people with an opportunity to forge a new political arrangement which will end this long period of transition and move the country towards a a more durable and permanent and democratically, you know, elected government and institutions.
Thank you.
Mrs.
Williams, we have a question on the line by Moussa Asim Mussa.
Can you introduce yourself?
Mussa hasi almaydin TV maciston Concerta non levol the Fox exterior Cirque 2 Laurel de la turquis on West.
Just one.
2nd she'll answer to you in English.
Look, as I said in my remarks, the degree of foreign intervention and foreign interference in Libya is unacceptable.
These countries need to take their hands off of Libya.
We need to transform negative external interference into positive assistance for the Libyan people as they come together, as they unify their institutions and as they build a secure, stable and prosperous future.
Thank you.
Mrs.
Williams, Other questions must say, is that a follow up?
Can you say, can you please speak in English?
You have a follow up.
Yes, yes, there is a contact with the foreign forces like Turkey, like and Saudi Arabia about this, this problem especially.
Thanks.
Yes, of course, the mission is in touch with with a number of countries.
Of course, everything that we're doing here in Geneva, the military talks, we have an economic track, we have a political track, we have an international humanitarian law and human rights track.
All of this is taking place under the umbrella the Berlin Conference of the conclusions that were reached on the 19th of January of this year and enshrined in Security Council Resolution 2510.
These countries have pledged to abide by the commitments to which they signed up to in Berlin, and they need to always recommit and adhere to those commitments.
I'd invite other journalists on the line to if they want to ask questions to Mrs.
Williams.
I'm looking at my platform here.
Robin Miller from AFP in English, please.
We, we, we would like to remind you that we don't have interpretation for this press conference room.
We can understand English, French and Arabic, but if you speak English, it's easier on the platform.
Thank you.
Good morning.
Yes, if, if you could tell us.
Perhaps the things that remain to be.
Resolved.
What?
What?
You see as some of the.
The more.
Difficult ones and.
Just just again on on the prospect of.
A of a permanent.
Ceasefire, you said that you are that you are quite optimistic.
Could you tell us a little bit?
More about what?
What gives you the the reasons for that optimism?
Thank you.
Well, I have to say the reasons for my optimism directly here is the real spirit of professionalism, conviviality that I see between the two delegations where they have easily come together and in just two days.
Have addressed some really important issues and as I said, these are issues which directly impact the lives of their compatriots.
And this was really an area of a focus in their including in their opening remarks to these talks that that they feel they have a responsibility to their fellow Libyans to to make a difference in their lives.
And that's why they they have made these important decisions about reopening roads, resuming flights, easing the delivery of much needed services to parts of the country, particularly the South, which have been historically deprived of these services.
And I expect that this positive atmosphere is going to continue as they start to dig in and what are yes, the more thorny issues of of the arrangements in in central Libya.
But there we are in a sense in in a bit of a race against time here because of the conditions in the country and frankly because of the degree of flagrant foreign intervention and blatant violations of the arms embargo.
So I think we should all lift our lift our voices and help the Libyans here and encourage them to continue to come together to forge their own future.
Jamie Keaton, Associated Press on the line.
Hi Miss Williams, thank you so much for for coming to see us and I hope we're good to see more of you.
I just wanted to know if you could tell us a little bit more about the demilitarisation of Sirte in particular and what the what the status is there.
And could you also give us a sort of a, a preview as to what's going to happen in Tunisia?
Could we expect a face to face meeting between Siraj and?
With regard to the conditions in the central region, yes, there has been a focus especially on the city of Search, but I must say that, you know, there are civilians living throughout the central region who also, you know, need need to be reached and, and could potentially be directly in harm's way.
With regard to the focus around, of course, for the United Nations, it is to ensure that the 130,000 plus civilians who reside in that city that we, we protect them, that we remove them from, from harm.
And, and in that regard, I would note that of course, the city of Sirte has been subjected to violence and chaos over the last nine years, including recently.
And you know, in, in the last several years, the, the battle to eject Dosh from that city, which you know, subjected the civilian, the presence of Dosh subjected the civilian population to great violence and harm.
So we are of course focused on the city of Sirte and the arrangements more generally in in the central region with regard to the upcoming political talks in Tunisia.
Look, I think we have to get out of the pair the the bilateral paradigm, which I think has been too much of the focus of the solutions only being forged by certain political or other leaders in the country.
What we are, what we are building into for the first talks in Tunisia, the first round of talks is an inclusive dialogue that goes beyond certain names and personalities.
This would include all of the relevant political forces, but also other constituencies, including representatives of the former regime, including the country's minorities, including there will be a substantial representation of women and there will be a representation of youth.
And this is, I think the only way that you can, you can build a political process is to ensure that you know, no one is excluded from this, from this important discussion.
Christophe Vogt, also from AFP, on the line.
Hello, thank you for taking my question.
It was just I was just wondering how soon do you expect the the announcements that you make to enter to?
To become concrete.
Opening the roads, opening Airways is this.
Going to happen.
Immediately, is there a delay?
What, what do you expect?
I, I, as I understood the situation is quite urgent on the ground, so the two sides have agreed to joint mechanisms on, particularly on the issue of opening the roads.
They will work together.
They are going to do this quickly because of the, the conditions on the ground and, and the need for their to and, and for them to be able to enable, you know, movement on the roads with regard to things like the flights.
This is the work of the Civil Aviation authorities and the, and the, the 5 + 5 has recommended that these authorities take this up very quickly.
Look, they were able to move very quickly on the flights on the flight between Tripoli and Benghazi.
And so I expect that we will see a a similar rapid movement on these other flights.
Byram, did you ask for the floor?
I saw your hand up on the line.
Byram Altok Anaduli, ANSI.
Yes, I did.
Yeah.
OK.
Go ahead then we'll listen to you.
Thank you.
One second, please, Byram.
One second.
Good, good.
Morning.
Thanks for your briefing.
During this month, the Libyan.
Government.
Said that they discovered 2 mass graves in the city of.
Tarhuna.
Which is another mass grave since this.
Match.
I'm just wondering if you had any chance to share your opinion with the Libyan parties.
On accountability of.
This dispensable for these mass graves.
Thank you.
Yes.
Just let me finish this.
The Libyan government says this mass grave, these people killed by warlord Khalifa Haftar.
Thank you.
Of course, we were all horrified by the discovery of mass graves in in the city of Tarhuna.
The ICC has has visited Libya and is working with the the Libyan authorities look at the issue of accountability is central to any comprehensive solution to the Libyan crisis.
This is why the work of the International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights Working Group under the under the Berlin Conference umbrella is is very important.
There is also, of course the Fact Finding Mission which was approved by the Human Rights Council back in June and is undertaking its work as as we speak.
There can be no peace without accountability, and these investigations that are taking place must be done thoroughly.
OK.
So we have time for a couple of more questions.
If there are any, let me see.
On my platform, I don't see any hands up any question.
Yes, Sir, Narunin.
If we see the half of the glass.
Full with the confidence building measure, how do you plan?
To solve the other hard issues which is dismantling the the armed illegal.
Armed militia and.
Also the departures of the mercenaries and foreign forces.
Thank you.
So on the on the last issue which she raised, which is the departure of mercenaries and foreign forces in the first two rounds of these talks of the the two sides came quite easily to consensus on the fact that it when a ceasefire agreement is reached, all foreign forces and mercenaries must depart the country within 90 days under UN supervision.
And it would the UN would monitor, you know, the departure of these forces.
And again, I think this gets to the heart of now, you know, Libya's sovereignty has, has really been touched and violated in ways that are quite alarming to, to Libyans themselves.
On the issue of DDR and, and security sector reform, yes, this is also part and parcel the work, first of all of the security working group, which is, which comes under the, the Berlin process.
But also again, within the 5 + 5, the two sides agreed in the first couple of rounds, you know, to designate a subcommittee that would work on the efforts to dismantle and, and reintegrate the, the members of the, to dismantle the armed groups and reintegrate their members.
As well as the broad, the broad topic of the security sector reform.
There are already DDR efforts underway, particularly in Western Libya.
I mean, I think these are, are important.
Of course, once we have a, a unified executive where you have, you know, one Ministry of Defence, one Ministry of Interior, it will be important to continue and to sustain these efforts and to make sure that they are reflected across the country.
The problem of armed groups is not a problem solely found in western Libya.
It is a it is a phenomenon that is present throughout the country.
Thank you very much, Mrs.
Williams.
I don't see any other requests for the floor from the platform or in the room.
So I would like to thank you very, very much for this press conference.
I would like to remind our correspondent that the fourth round of the Libyan Joint Military Committee will continue as expected, to continue until Friday the 24th.
No, I think Saturday the 24th, but we will keep you informed about this.
We will continue with our arrangements for the arrivals coverage with the pool, with the media pool because of the current health issues and we will distribute the transcript of this press conference.
Thank you very much and have a nice day.
Ethics have been.
Promoting hate speech and signing by military and security.