Morocco stresses need for UN involvement in settling Libyan crisis

Morocco believes in the need for the UN to have an active role in endowing legitimacy to any political process that would put an end to the conflict in Libya, foreign minister Nasser Bourita said.

The call for an active UN involvement in Libya was made following talks in Rabat with Stephanie Khoury, the UN’s interim special representative for Libya.

The talks focused on the need for keeping the UN informed of Morocco’s diplomatic efforts, including the Skhirat agreement and the inter—Libyan talks in Bouznika, to help the Libyans reach a solution to their conflict.

Morocco’s actions are always in consultation with the UN, Bourita told Khoury who is on a working visit to Morocco to coordinate actions. Her visit is part of a first tour to countries in the region to examine ways of resolving the political crisis in Libya.

Morocco believes that the solution to the inter-Libyan crisis is between the hands of Libyans themselves and that elections would resolve the legitimacy issue in the war-torn country, he said.

He said Morocco maintains a relationship of mutual respect with all Libyan parties and institutions.

Talks were described as straightforward and positive, given the two sides’ shared conviction as to the need for cooperation and consultation to give new impetus to the political process in Libya.

“We have agreed to continue the dialogue and discuss means of advancing the political operation in Libya, under the auspices of the UN, in favor of the Libyan people”, Khoury said.