TIME RUNNING OUT FOR LIBYA TO FIND POLITICAL SOLUTION: ALGERIAN FM

Tripoli, 10  Shaban 1436/28 May 2015 (MINA)  – Time is “running out” for Libya to find a political solution before October, otherwise terrorist groups will remain in the country for a long time, Algerian Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal warned yesterday.

During a press conference held after his meeting with his Italian counterpart, Matteo Renzi in Rome, Sellal pointed out that the mandate of the current leaders in Libya will end in October, therefore if the political parties fail to reach a political agreement, terrorist groups will extend their presence in the country.

The officials stressed their countries’ will to reach an agreement in Libya that leads to the formation of a national unity government. Middle East Monitor (MEMO) reports as quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA).

“A simple procedure provides to find a comprehensive political solution that includes all the parties to preserve Libya’s unity,” Sellal said, adding that this solution will allow for the formation of a “national unity government that will take over for a transitional period and will write a constitution and organise free elections.”

“We can win over terrorism by force but there is also need for reconciliation to eliminate it,” Sellal said. Meanwhile, Renzi said: “The situation in Libya is not easy for a historical reason, because we lost the opportunity to establish democracy and freedom [after the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi].”

He added that any agreement must include “the participation of the Libyan people”. Renzi pointed out that this was also the reason for the arrival of more than 90 per cent of today’s immigrants to Italy from Libya.

During the conference, Sellal announced that his country was ready to build a proposed Galso gas pipeline to bring Algerian gas to Italy. (T/P002/R03)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)