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Libya Ceasefire Announcement Presser (UNSMIL)
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Edited News , Press Conferences | UNOG , UNITED NATIONS

Libya Ceasefire Announcement Presser (UNSMIL)

ENG

SHOTLIST OF THE EDITED STORY  

  1. Exterior wide shot, Palais des Nations flag alley, nations’ flags flying, a rainy day. 
  2. Wide shot, podium with speakers in a near-empty Room XIV in line with COVID-19 distancing measures, Palais des Nations. 
  3. SOUNDBITE (English) — Stephanie Williams, Acting Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Support Mission for Libya (UNSMIL): “Today is a good day for the Libyan people. At 11.15 am this morning here in the UN Headquarters in Geneva, the two Libyan delegations to the 5+5 Joint Military Commission talks signed a complete, countrywide, and permanent ceasefire agreement with immediate effect.” 
  4. Medium shot, journalist typing on laptop with conference listening device, Room XIV, Palais des Nations. 
  5. SOUNDBITE (English) — Stephanie Williams, Acting Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Support Mission for Libya (UNSMIL): “The ceasefire also responds to the Secretary General’s call for a global ceasefire and cessation of hostilities related to the COVID pandemic.”  
  6. Medium shot, journalist typing on laptop with conference listening device, Room XIV, Palais des Nations. 
  7. SOUNDBITE (English) — Stephanie Williams, Acting Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Support Mission for Libya (UNSMIL): “The parties agreed that all military units and armed groups on the frontlines shall return to their camps. This shall be accompanied by the departure of all mercenaries and foreign fighters from all Libyan territories -- land, air and sea -- within a maximum period of three months from today. The ceasefire does not apply to UN-designated terrorist groups.” 
  8. Medium shot, journalist sitting in front of laptop, readjusting her mask, Room XIV, Palais des Nations. 
  9. SOUNDBITE (English) — Stephanie Williams, Acting Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Support Mission for Libya (UNSMIL): “We need to appeal to countries involved, particularly those who are interfering directly in the conflict, particularly those who are blatantly violating the UN arms embargo, that it is time to listen to the Libyans themselves. Libya is for Libyans. And they now want to come together to rebuild their country, to end this long state of crisis and division, to rebuild their institutions. It is incumbent on the international community to support them in this effort.” 
  10. Wide shot, TV camera in foreground and Room XIV to rear, Palais des Nations. 
  11. SOUNDBITE (English) — Stephanie Williams, Acting Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Support Mission for Libya (UNSMIL): “So, the issue of presence of foreign fighters and mercenaries is not an issue that is monopolized by one side of this conflict. There are mercenaries from, I would say probably, seven, eight, maybe nine countries on the ground and it’s, so it is, you know, incumbent on all those responsible for the insertion of mercenaries into Libya to, within the calendar that has been agreed to by the Libyans themselves, to withdraw these forces and to respect and implement the will of the Libyan parties.”  
  12. Medium shot, podium with speakers, Room XIV, Palais des Nations. 
  13. SOUNDBITE (English) — Stephanie Williams, Acting Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Support Mission for Libya (UNSMIL): “What I hear most clearly is a call for elections. Libyans want elections. Elections are the single most important means through which they can reassert their sovereignty and destiny. Free, fair, democratic elections where they are choosing their representatives, whether the parliament or for the presidency. They would like to end the long transitional period that the country has suffered from. They are right to be skeptical about the introduction of another transitional period.”  
  14. Close-up, hands typing on laptop, Room XIV, Palais des Nations. 
  15. Medium shot, journalist taking notes, Room XIV, Palais des Nations.  
  16. Medium shot, TV cameras in the back of Room XIV, Palais des Nations. 
  17. Medium shot, podium with speakers, Room XIV, Palais des Nations. 
  18. Close-up, TV camera filming the speaker, Room XIV, Palais des Nations. 
  19. Wide shot, TV camera and UN staff members in foreground and podium to rear, Room XIV, Palais des Nations. 

Libya’s warring sides agree permanent ceasefire at Geneva talks

Peace talks aimed at ending almost a decade of chaos in Libya reached agreement on a permanent ceasefire on Friday. Five senior officers from the Government of National Accord (GNA) in Tripoli and five from the opposition Libyan National Army (LNA) signed the deal after talks mediated by Stephanie Williams, the head of the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL).

“Today is a good day for the Libyan people,” Williams told a press conference in Geneva. “At 11.15 am this morning here in the UN headquarters in Geneva, the two Libyan delegations to the 5+5 Joint Military Commission talks signed a complete, countrywide, and permanent ceasefire agreement with immediate effect.”

The oil-rich country has been divided and beset by conflict since the overthrow of former dictator Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, and the two rival administrations have effectively split the country, with the GNA holding Tripoli and the LNA controlling large areas of the east and laying siege to the capital for months. 

“The parties agreed that all military units and armed groups on the frontlines shall return to their camps. This shall be accompanied by the departure of all mercenaries and foreign fighters from all Libyan territories -- land, air and sea -- within a maximum period of three months from today. The ceasefire does not apply to UN-designated terrorist groups,” Williams said.

The ceasefire also followed a call from UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for ceasefires in conflicts globally during the global Coronavirus pandemic, she added.

The parties involved needed the international community and the UN Security Council to support the agreement, she said, including by respecting the principle of non-interference in Libya’s internal affairs.

“We need to appeal to countries involved, particularly those who are interfering directly in the conflict, particularly those who are blatantly violating the arms embargo, that it is time to listen to the Libyans themselves. Libya is for the Libyans. And they now want to come together to rebuild their country, to end this long state of crisis and division, to rebuild their institutions. It is incumbent on the international community to support them in this effort.”

The parties to the deal also agreed to start identifying and categorising members of armed groups and reintegrating Libyan nationals into state institutions, while foreign fighters from both sides should leave within three months.

“The issue of the presence of foreign fighters and mercenaries is not an issue that is monopolised by one side of this conflict. There are mercenaries from I would say seven, eight, maybe nine countries on the ground. So it is incumbent on all those responsible for the insertion of mercenaries into Libya, within the calendar that has been agreed to by the Libyans themselves, to withdraw these forces and to respect and implement the will of the Libyan parties.”

The peace deal opens the way for a resumption of flights between Tripoli and Benghazi, and Libya’s oil installations at Ras Lanuf and Sidra should be able to resume production in the very near future.

It also includes measures to curb hate speech and incitement of violence, to facilitate the exchange of detainees, and to support restructuring of petroleum facilities guards. Political talks are expected to get underway in Tunis in the first week of November, Williams said.

Broad consultations with youth, women, mayors, political forces and representatives of minority communities had shown that Libyans were keen for change, she said.

“What I hear most clearly is a call for elections. Libyans want elections. Elections are the single most important means through which they can reassert their sovereignty and destiny. Free, fair, democratic elections where they are choosing their representatives, whether it’s the parliament or for the presidency. They would like to end the long transitional period that the country has suffered from. They are right to be sceptical about the introduction of another transitional period.”

Teleprompter
Good morning, ladies and gentlemen.
Thank you very much for being with us today for this closing press conference on the Joint Military Committee of Libya.
We are the pleasure today to have Stephanie Turko Williams with us, the Acting Special Representative of the Secretary General and Head of Onsmail.
Just a little bit of housekeeping at the beginning.
We have first of all, I will ask you to put your phone on silence as usual.
But also we have quite a large number of journalists connected on the platform.
I would like to ask to the colleagues who are on the platform and who have joined the press conference, without spelling out the affiliation, their media, to go out and back again and write the affiliation of your media.
We have people from Libya and we don't necessarily know all the journalists.
So I will have to ask all the journalists to specify which media they are from.
Thank you.
Second point, we have today interpretation Arabic, English, but because of technical issues, the interpretation will be continuous.
So we will speak and then wait for the interpreter to translate.
So that will take a little bit more time, but it will ensure that every journalist here and on the other side of the Mediterranean understand.
There was also be the arrangement for the questions and without doing, I will give now the floor to Stephanie Williams for her introductory remarks.
Good afternoon.
Today is a good day for the Libyan people.
At 11:15 AM this morning here in the UN headquarters in Geneva, the two Libyan delegations to the 5 + 5 Joint Military Commission talks signed a complete countrywide and permanent ceasefire agreement with immediate effect.
The agreement was facilitated by the United Nations and we signed it as witnesses.
The ceasefire also responds to the Secretary General's call for a global ceasefire and cessation of hostilities related to the COVID pandemic.
Commonwealth den fi El Lagna, Alaska, The parties agreed that all military units and armed groups on the front lines shall return to their camps.
This shall be accompanied by the departure of all mercenaries and foreign fighters from all Libyan territories, land, air and sea within a maximum period of three months from today.
The ceasefire does not apply to UN designated terrorist groups.
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Until the new unified government assumes its functions, all military agreements on training inside Libya shall be suspended and training crews shall depart the country were Sir Ilahina Tawali al Hakuma al Mahada al Gajeeda Mahamiha.
The agreement establishes a joint police operations room, which shall propose and implement special arrangements to secure the areas cleared of military units and armed groups.
The Joint Military Commission also agreed to form a joint limited military force of regular military personnel under a joint operations room.
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The parties agreed with the support and participation of the United Nations to immediately start the identification and categorization of all armed groups and entities on the entire Libyan territory, whether integrated into state institutions or not.
A mechanism and conditions shall be developed to ensure reintegration of their members on an individual basis into state institutions for those who meet the requirements and specifications of each institution.
Elliott assessing for the assessor The parties reconfirmed their commitment to implement the confidence building measures agreed earlier this week with regard to the full opening of land and air routes throughout Libya.
They agreed to the CBMS also related to measures to curb the use of hate speech and incitement to violence, to facilitate the exchange of detainees and the restructuring of the petroleum facilities guards in this regard.
Talking about CBMSI would note that today a flight went from Tripoli to Benghazi and there is a regular resumption now the schedule of flights between those two cities.
I would also note that in my discussions with the the teams this morning, there are some very good indications that the oil installations of Ross Lanouf and Sidra, we'll be ready to resume production in, in, in the near future in a very short period of time.
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The parties agreed to establish a mechanism to monitor jointly with UNSMILL the implementation of the ceasefire agreement.
The parties requested Unsmill to forward the ceasefire agreement to the Security Council and to request that the Council adopts a resolution to ensure compliance of all internal and external parties with this permanent countrywide ceasefire.
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There is a lot of work to do going forward.
We will quickly reconvene the 5 + 5 Joint Military Commission in the coming weeks to launch the works the work of the subcommittee's, which will tackle areas such as the withdrawal of Libyan forces from the front lines, the departure of all mercenary and foreign fighters from the country, disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration, security arrangements and counterterrorism cooperation, in addition to a national effort aimed at unification of the armed forces.
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I would like to extend my thanks to the ten members of the 5 + 5 Joint Military Commission.
What they have accomplished here today took a great deal of courage.
They demonstrated their patriotism, love of country, and commitment in coming together to reach an agreement that can help secure a better and more peaceful future for all of the Libyan people.
I salute their sense of responsibility and commitment to preserve Libya's unity and to reassert Libya's sovereignty.
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I would also like to thank President of the Presidency Council, Mr Faiz Suraj and the other members of the Council, House of Representative Speaker Mr Aguila Saleh and Field Marshall General Commander Khalifa Haftar.
I must also pay tribute to the many Libyans who have sacrificed so much, who have lost loved ones, who have been injured and subjected to displacement as a result of this long conflict.
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The Joint Military Commission members have exerted tremendous efforts to reach the ceasefire agreement.
They have set a **** standard and an excellent example for their compatriots who are participating in the political and economic tracks.
The 5 + 5 have done their part and they've done it very well.
Their compatriots and the other tracks will now need to do their part.
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The international community must also do its part by fully respecting and supporting this Libyan Libyan ceasefire agreement, which was reached under the authority of Security Council Resolution 2510 and the outcomes of the Berlin Conference.
This includes full respect for the principle of non interference in Libya's internal affairs and full implementation of the UN arms embargo on Libya.
We thank the Member States and regional organisations participating in the Berlin process, as well as Libya's neighbours for their support.
Thank you.
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Thank you Mrs William Shukran.
I will now open the floor to questions.
I repeat for the journalist online, I will not give the floor unless you qualify your media.
We still have many names which are not explaining from which media they come.
I'd like the interpreters to translate this please.
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Thank you.
So I will start now with the room.
I will.
I have already a lot of questions, a lot of hands up, but I will start with the first one who asked for the floor.
It was Jamie Keaton from Associated Press.
Good, good, good afternoon.
Thank you very much for coming to see us.
Some Miss Williams, I wanted to just ask you about what this really means.
I mean, are we well beyond a simple formalising of the lull that already exists?
I mean, it sounds like there's a pretty significant and you've obviously mentioned the history of it, but I'd like to know some of the details if I could, like the demilitarisation of SIRT for example, is that going to continue?
Is there going to be oil revenue sharing, for example, and this joint military and police commissions that you're talking about?
That seems pretty unthinkable to me.
How is that going to work exactly?
Thank you.
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Associated Press.
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Let's take this question in two parts.
Indeed, the lull on the ground was very helpful.
It's hard to talk when people are shooting.
So yes, that essentially this de facto ceasefire greatly assisted the negotiations that took place this week.
I'll get to the oil revenue issue later.
We have a lot of work to do.
This committee, the Joint Military Commission and the subcommittees have a lot of work to do and that's why we're going to to reconvene as quickly as possible.
I think you underestimate the fluidity that is already present in Libya.
We saw that here this week with these general officers, professional military officers coming together.
By the way, the same is the case with the Ministry of Interior.
And we witnessed that the UN has, has had programmes across the country which have brought, you know, Ministry of Interior officers and personnel together.
So we have the commitment.
So, so in terms of if, if you're looking at the sort of the joint police operation centre, this was, this was a whole issue that was discussed in, in the talks that took place in Hurghada, Egypt, where there were representatives from the two ministries of interior present.
So, you know, the path has been paved and certainly there's a, a focus on syrup, but you know, there are civilians in harm's way throughout central Libya.
And so we will leave it to the the JMC to the joint military Commission and and and to the Libyans themselves through this joint process to determine the arrangements with regard to the one just interpreters.
And then we go to the second part of the question.
Sorry, yes, ma'am, thank you.
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So there's a lot of work that has already underway, of course, through the economic track of the Berlin process, which composes A Libyan experts economic Commission, which has met on numerous occasions both physically.
And then since the onset of the pandemic, more often virtually to work through a number of economic and and financial issues that have that are thorny that have beset the country.
The management the management of the oil revenues has been thoroughly dealt with through the the Libyan economic track and and they work in cooperation with the economic working group that is part of the the countries and regional organisations that are participating in the Berlin process to encourage them.
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So what's going to happen in the coming days as we resume the political talks is we will have represent representatives of the Libyan experts from the expert economic Commission present their very detailed and tangible recommendations on how to deal with this whole host of economic and financial issues.
As we move towards a comprehensive settlement and A and unification of the executive of the economic and financial institutions and the sovereign institutions, including the central Bank and including the Libyan Investment Authority.
Now I should point out that there is an international audit that has been underway of the central bank now since the beginning of August.
It's will will last for approximately 6 months.
We also expect the audit to produce a whole set of, you know, outputs and, and, and recommendations.
There is also an audit now that has been authorised for the Libyan Investment Authority.
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Thank you very much.
I would like we have many many requests for the floor.
So I would like to ask the journalist.
Please ask one question, Nordina, you're from Arabi news channel.
Good morning.
Can I just as an observer allow allow myself and allow me to congratulate you and both parts in Libya?
It's really hard touching to for the ordinary people and ordinary citizen in Libya.
I would like to check is cert and the JAFRA will be both demilitarised.
This my check and my question to observe the to the implementation of the ceasefire you, you need observers.
Would you ask regional, let's say actors, would you ask European Union to assist United Nation with the observers?
Thank you.
Thank you interpreters, first of all.
So.
If he had that Miguel Amla.
So the parties have agreed that the to withdraw the military elements along the front lines.
The front lines run now from surge to Jafra.
Now the particular arrangements for all of this will be worked through the joint process that I described in my in my introduction.
With regard to the monitoring, the Libyans have made it very clear and I think I, I referred to this in the press conference earlier this week, they, they would like the United Nations UNSNAP to supervise any, you know, sort of international monitoring efforts.
And so that is again a subject that we are, we are going to dig into with them as we as we flesh out the agreement.
The next question from Taha, can you please introduce yourself?
I'm sorry, from AP Middle East section, may I speak?
May I ask you in Arabic?
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There are three tracks to unblock this crisis, as we mentioned earlier, the economic security and the political.
The security one seems to have been settled.
What about the political one?
When do you intend to proceed with it?
So we have a lot of work going forward on the military track, on the military security track.
And I referred to that in my statement.
And we will, you know, be reconvening this Commission as quickly as possible because as you know, the Commission is the umbrella on the military track under which there are the subcommittees that I described that will, you know, flow from, from the from the ten members of the joint Military Commission.
So you know, work is not done, work is continuing on the political track.
Yes, we are resuming political talks.
We will have a virtual preparatory session for the political talks in just a few times days, sorry on Monday.
On Monday it will will convene them a virtually and then towards the end of the first week of November, we will convene them physically in Tunis to for for a meeting on the on the political track chemical to look at the if there are Dean were delicate so far not that bellamel, it's name.
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Well, mid November, Philippa in the Tunis Thank you very much.
I would now like to give the floor to one of the journalists in Libya, Ali Ali Mati of the Libyans Channel TV television.
Yes, welcome.
Interpreters.
So my question is about the guarantor.
Every agreement needs a guarantor.
And if I may say, we have seen many ceasefire agreements in Libya and I allow myself to say that they have all failed.
So what's different?
And you spoke of immediate effect.
What do you mean by immediate?
So the parties determined that the ceasefire agreement will take effect immediately as of today, the day of the signing.
And so the work will begin to, you know, jointly withdraw the forces to stand up the joint operations.
They have asked that this agreement goes forward to the Security Council, which we will be doing right after we we finish this the this meeting with you all.
And certainly I think it is very, very important that the international community lends its tangible support to this agreement that that we hear also from the Security Council.
This is a Libyan, Libyan process and so the Libyans are working together, which I think is is very good.
As I said, they came together quite easily for the talks this week and we are on the ground with them.
The United Nations UNSMEL is on the ground to assist the parties and to assist the Libyan people.
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Thank you, Catherine Fiancon.
Catherine, can you introduce yourself for Mrs.
Williams?
Yes, thank you, Alessandra.
Catherine fianconga for France Vancat.
So hello Mrs.
Williams.
Catherine Fianconga for France Vancat, I'd like you to elaborate a bit, if possible, on the exchange of prisoners.
Thank you, interpreter.
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Yes.
So of course the exchange of detainees was one of the confidence building measures that the two sides to the JMC took up on the first day of these talks.
This these efforts have been frankly ongoing with the quiet support and assistance of the UN mission.
And, and I have to say again, these are Libyan, primarily Libyan efforts.
So we see a great role that is played by the traditional elders councils who reach out across the regions and and the cities to to encourage and pave the way and facilitate these exchanges.
We saw last weekend a large delegation of elders who travelled from from eastern Libya to the city of Misrata again to discuss the exchange of detainees.
In our view, when Libyans can do this, this is the best sign.
We are, of course, there to assist them and as part of this, the confidence building measures.
That are are enshrined in this agreement.
The two sides have designated, you know, points of contact to to work on the issue of detainees.
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Thank you.
Also on the line, Nick, New York Times.
Yeah.
Hello.
Can you hear me?
We can, Nick, go ahead.
Thank you.
I appreciate these were Libyan, Libyan talks and this is a purely Libyan agreement.
I'd just like to ask whether you'd had any engagement with representatives of foreign forces in Libya on the plans for withdrawal of foreign forces, whether you've had any buy in to a 90 day withdrawal process and what kind of modalities you envisage for seeing that that is followed through?
Nick, I'm afraid the interpreter is making me signs that he could not understand.
Could you please repeat your question a little bit louder?
OK.
The question was I appreciated that these were Libyan, Libyan talks.
But I wanted to ask whether there had been any engagement with in the build up to these talks or during them with representatives of foreign military forces.
Whether there was any buy in from foreign military forces to a process that would see them withdrawing within 90 days and the kind of modalities, the process, how you envisage this process going forward?
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Yes.
So look, in terms I can speak to in terms of our engagement and we have Ansmel, the UN, particularly through the Berlin process, the countries and regional organisations that have been participating through the security working group, which is attached to the to the Berlin process have of course, you know, made it quite clear.
And this principle of the departure of mercenaries and foreign fighters and forces from the country was agreed in the first two rounds of these talks that took place in January and February.
And we certainly communicated to all of these countries and regional organisations that this was a point of consensus that the Libyans came to quite easily.
So it probably hasn't come as much of a surprise that it is appeared in the the final ceasefire agreement that was that was signed today.
So and as I as as I described in the preamble, there will be a process between the mission and the parties to oversee the departure of all of these forces.
And I think, again, you know, we need to appeal to countries involved, particularly those who are interfering directly in the conflict, particularly those who are blatantly violating the UN arms embargo, that it is time to listen to the Libyans themselves.
Libya is for Libyans and they now want to come together to rebuild their country, to end this long state of crisis and division, to rebuild their institutions.
It is incumbent on the international community to support them in this effort.
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Introduce yourself for Mrs.
Williams, please.
Thank you very much.
Thanks, Mrs.
Williams.
I don't know if you were me.
Well, please get closer to your mic.
We hear you.
Not very loudly.
Now you.
You hear me?
Well, it's OK.
Anyway, I'll ask.
I'll ask my question in Arabic if you permit Aceva Williams, could you please repeat it?
It wasn't loud enough.
I couldn't hear him.
If you could please repeat this question.
We could not hear.
Can you please speak louder?
Yes.
Yes.
Yes.
Yes.
The Mrs.
Williams, regarding the that part of the agreement that deals with the classification of the regular and irregular forces on the ground, who is going to do this classification?
And in case of disagreement, who decides who is a member of one of these regular forces and who isn't?
So they will start the process through the subcommittee, you know, attached to the, to the 5 + 5 of first of all categorising or take a census of these groups.
And then on that basis they will, you have to know who you're dealing with first.
OK.
And then as I, as I noted, they are going to be looking at these members of the armed groups on an individual basis for either, you know, integration into regular state institutions or other steps.
Now this will all be worked through the 5 + 5.
The mission will work very closely with the 5 + 5.
The mission has quite a lot of background and experience on the issue of DDR in Libya.
And frankly there are also a lot of, many of the member states are, are helping the Libyans on this as well.
So I, I believe that this is also this was a point that of consensus that they easily came to again in the first several rounds of these negotiations.
And it's, it's one of the areas where we're going to have to roll up our sleeves and get to work fairly quickly.
Thank you.
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Thank you.
We have now 2 questions from Arundhu Ansi.
I'll start with Byram on the line.
Byram Alto.
Thank you very much, Alessandra, for giving me this opportunity again.
It's very, very difficult to hear Byram.
Can you please get close to your mic and speak louder?
Yes.
Can you hear me?
Hello, Can you hear me?
Not really, no.
Hello.
Hello.
Can you hear me?
Let's let's try.
Go ahead.
Yes.
Can you, You can hear me.
Yes, it's better.
OK.
As my colleague in Libya said earlier that many ceasefire, ceasefire agreement have been signed in the past in Libya, but they have all failed.
Additionally, last January, Khalifa Haftar left the Moscow peace talks without signing a ceasefire agreement that was left so many questions about his motive.
So my question is that this time, how confident are you that this agreement will be really permanent and working?
Should we really be optimistic?
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So the 5 + 5 joint Military Commission talks have two teams.
One team is representing the forces from western Libya attached to the Government of National, the UN recognised Government of National Accord.
The other forces are under the command of Field Marshall General Haftar.
They signed the agreement today.
They signed an agreement again.
I think, you know, we have to.
History always guides us and the history of Libya, particularly over the last nine years, but certainly even before that has been, has been quite fraught.
But we shouldn't let the cynics win.
We should all come together and support the Libyans if they can.
If they can reconcile after this long crisis, then they deserve our utmost support.
The.
I'll take a last question from the room, Peter Kenny, actually, thank you.
The question that I was going to ask has already been asked.
Thank you very much.
So, OK, that's just as a follow up, but please quick, can the reunification of the security services and military services, do you see that as a process before the election or after the general election?
I will speak even well, I would note that there's already been a lot of good work that has been accomplished on this.
The unification of the military institutions through talks that were hosted by the government of Egypt.
There were something like 6 rounds of talks between again, general officers from both sides of of the divide.
And I expect, you know, there was certainly from what I could see with these two teams here, that is it's a **** priority for them to to unify all of the military and security institutions in the country.
Look, they have a lot of work to do.
They also have to secure their borders, you know, and that's that is a great concern for regional peace and security for Libya's neighbours and indeed for international peace and security.
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I'm told by my colleagues in Wolms Mill that there are three journalists from Libya who would like to take the floor.
So Mrs.
Williams has agreed.
I will start with Amina Akari.
I last I would like to ask my colleagues on the platform if she can be unmuted.
Amina Akari bear with us while we are unmuting her.
While we are looking for Amina, there is also Saba who's asking for the floor.
If my colleagues could unmute Saba, the name on the platform is Saba.
Could my colleague unmute Sabah SABAHI don't think they know how to operate the platform.
OK, OK.
You are on.
I'm not sure who is on the line.
Sabah.
OK.
Can you ask your question to Mrs.
Williams, please?
You mentioned that the agreement will be immediately forwarded to the Security Council.
What is the support that is expected from the Security Council, especially with regards to sanctions on parties under the pretext of assistance?
The question was not clear.
If she wishes to repeat it, I would gladly interpret it.
So I mean, I, I, I hope that the Security Council, you know, it's entirely supportive of this agreement.
It is, after all, in response to their, their direction enshrined in resolution 2510, where they, they empowered, you know, the work of this committee and, and, and directed it to reach a ceasefire.
That's what they've done.
They've reached a ceasefire.
So I, I certainly hope that the Security Council is going to react swiftly and positively with the fullest support.
This issue of obstructionists and what to do with them is, is, you know, not, not a new issue in Libya.
Of course, there is always the tool of sanctions to be used against internal and and external actors and you know, I would think that that would be a good tool to put on the table in this instance in an mesh less al amna dam taban Daman Shadidan lihevihi al Amelia were Tamat Binet and Alec Toshi had been mesh less Alam khasat al kharakam saois.
In Canada, thank you.
We have a technical issue.
There are two journalists in Libya who would like to ask question.
Can I ask my colleagues on the platform to give the floor in succession to the two journalists who have written their name in Arabic characters, please?
They are at the bottom of the list of the participants.
Can my colleague mute one after the other, these two journalists, please?
And sorry for this technical glitches, but we want to hear you exactly.
So I think we have one of the two on the lines.
Yes, please go ahead.
I mean like so early.
We have that Almenduba, Stephen Williams.
My question regards, of course, the ceasefire provided for in this agreement.
Does this agreement also mean that all the international differences regarding this Libyan crisis have been settled?
What are the guarantees given so far, especially from the 5 + 5 Commission?
Well, I sincerely hope that the international community will come together around the Libyan file.
And, and certainly, as I said, the Security Council issued Resolution 2510 which empowered and directed these talks.
And it is the the countries and the regional organisations, you know, participating in the Berlin process.
Libya's neighbours, indeed, you know, many other countries should use this opportunity to lift their voices in support of the Libyans to make clear that, you know, perhaps Libya is a is a country or an issue around around which they can put aside there there are other differences that Libya is not a pawn in, you know, regional conflicts that it is it is a shared interest and not a shared, not a point of division.
I do hope.
Libya.
Thank you, Shukan, The other journalist from Libya, please.
I think his name is Taha.
Yes, Go ahead, please.
Stephanie Williams.
Turkey.
My question of course, is once again to address to Mrs William.
While we are meeting and talking here, a statement has been issued from Turkey by President of Mr Erdogan and he says he does not trust that the mercenaries in Libya shall be withdrawn.
And so my question is, what about Russian intervention in Libya?
Do you trust them to withdraw their mercenaries and do you believe that Haftar or a Marshall Haftar will be able to convince Russia to withdraw their military forces?
So the issue of presence of foreign fighters and mercenaries is is not an issue that is monopolised by one side of this conflict.
There are mercenaries from I would say probably 7-8, maybe 9 countries on the ground.
And it's so it is, you know, in incumbent on all those responsible for the insertion of mercenaries in into Libya to within the calendar that has been agreed to by the Libyans themselves to withdraw these forces and and to respect and implement the will of the Libyan parties.
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Thank you very much.
There is a very, very last question from Libya and then we will close the press conference because it's really very late.
So Mr Mohammed added on the platform.
Can you please unmute Mr Hadid your answer?
Yes, we do.
Mr Hadid, sorry the interpreters can't keep your pace.
Can you please slow down and speak louder?
I don't know if you understand.
OK.
Thank you.
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Nah.
Shukra.
Shukra.
I'm sorry.
Consult Sada Williams.
I'll Amata Satastamer Hadihill Federal in Italia.
I.
Uh, my question is of course to Mrs Million.
Um, I would like to know how long does she foresee this period of transition to last?
What about the elections?
Mr Saraj's mandate has come to an end.
Another question regards the Libyans.
Most Libyans consider that the UN is the only possible authority to solve the crisis in Libya.
However, do you believe that the international situation, the current international situation favours a positive outcome or not?
So you're talking really about the political process now, which the talks will get under way in the next couple of weeks.
Look, what I can tell you is in our broad consultations over the last of probably, you know, month and 1/2 with the number of very important Libyan constituencies, whether it's the youth, which are an important component, a women's activists and and women's groups, the mayors, the municipalities who have a big stake in the future of this country, political forces and representatives of the minority communities.
What I hear most clearly is a call for elections.
Libyans want elections.
Elections are the single most important means through which they can reassert their sovereignty and destiny.
Free, fair, democratic elections where they are choosing their representatives, whether the parliament or for the presidency.
They would like to end the long transitional period that had the country has suffered from there.
Are they are right to be sceptical about the introduction of another transitional period?
So therefore there, I think there is a in this constituency for change that has emerged in the country.
It is clear that if there is to be or a need for a new temporary preparatory executive that the authorities of this executive are limited, that it is clearly there is a clear timeline schedule and that everything is benchmarked.
And so that you don't have, you know, guys basically who get very comfortable in their chairs and are therefore reluctant, you know, to to move forward on the necessary constitutional arrangements and preparations for elections.
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Thank you very much.
I've given now the floor to Mrs William for her concluding remarks.
Alessandra, it's just to say thank you very much to you and your team who have accompanied us throughout this week and also to say special thanks to our translators, Alma and Delbar.
So thank you very much for your your tremendous efforts.
And, and also I would like to extend my thanks to the government of Switzerland for it's a great facilitation and assistance in all of the work that Unsmel is is doing, especially when we bring Libyans here to Geneva.
Thank you very much and we thank you for having been with us and giving us this fantastic news.
Thank you very much.
Have a nice afternoon.