The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) denied reports it is planning to host a political discussion between Libyan factions in Tunis on May 28–29.
“The United Nations Support Mission in Libya is not organizing or hosting any dialogue between Libyan parties in Tunis on May 28 and 29,despite recent media reports,” the organization said in a statement shared on its official Facebook page.
The clarification coincides with the UN mission’s publication of a comprehensive report detailing the recommendations of its advisory Committee,which aims to settle important disagreements impeding the run-up to national elections.
Over the course of three months,the committee—which was made up of twenty Libyan specialists in legal,constitutional,and electoral matters—met more than twenty times in Tripoli and Benghazi. The report outlines four possible ways to put an end to Libya’s protracted transitional phase and prepare the ground for elections. The first option suggests holding simultaneous elections for the president and the legislature. The second proposes adopting a permanent constitution after first holding parliamentary elections. Adopting a permanent constitution prior to any elections is the third path’s top priority.
Support from around the world quickly followed the release. The initiative was welcomed by the U.S.,U.K.,France,Italy,and the European Union delegation to Libya,which described the recommendations of the advisory committee as a timely chance for Libyans to resume communication and regain momentum toward a future that is peaceful,united,and democratic. The proposals were welcomed as a “significant achievement” in Libya’s UN-facilitated political process by the EU and its member states’ embassies,which urged all parties involved to interact positively with the advisory committee’s suggestions.
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