The Head of the High Council of State (HCS), Khalid Al-Mishri, has reiterated that the interim government or the new executive authority is an opportunity for all Libyans to pave the way for general elections on December 24, 2021.
Answering questions about his vision if elected for the new Presidential Council, Al-Mishri told the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum members meeting under the auspices of the UN Support Mission in Geneva on Monday that there’s a trust issue among Libyans parties that can be resolved only via making concessions.
Al-Mishri also told the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum members that he thinks foreign negative interventions have shaped the current crisis in Libya, adding that the interim government will face a lot of hindrances before elections next December, but if elected, he is determined to overcome them.
“We need to handle the issue of the Libyan National Identification Number so that most Libyans can participate and vote in the general elections, whose date is very close but isn’t impossible to be held.” Al-Mishri added.
He also said that the LPDF should continue to work so that it can monitor the performance of the elected Presidential Council and the Prime Minister, and withdraw confidence from them if needed.
“We don’t forget that those who committed war crimes must be brought to justice. There can be no amnesty for them.” Al-Mishri added, when asked about the conflict and military attacks’ crimes in the country.
The UN Support Mission in Libya kick-started Monday the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum talks in Geneva to carry out voting for the three members of the Presidential Council and the Prime Minister’s positions in the new executive authority before elections on December 24 this year.
The first round of talks started this morning with an opening statement by the UN acting envoy, Stephanie Williams, who said the Presidential Council and Prime Minister positions’ candidates represent all Libyan social components.
Williams said selecting a new executive authority isn’t a form of election but a chance to practice democracy ahead of it.
Candidates of the Presidential Council positions were picked first for questions about their vision for the interim period ahead of elections.
Before Al-Mishri, the commander of the western military zone, Osama Juwiali, who is a candidate for the Presidential Council, said the political dialogue isn’t the same as elections, but it is some form of understandings among Libyans who went to war at some point.
Juwaili reiterated that if elected, he would make sure to work on a fixed timeline to lead to elections on time, adding that military conflicts made nationwide reconciliation fail.
