Libya: Seal agreement before HoR’s mandate ends, Leon tells delegates

After failing to reach an agreement on several occasions, the latest deadline announced by U.N’s special envoy to Libya, Bernardino Leon, has been termed as “crucial” because of the legal consequences that might follow. He said the Libyan parties at the ongoing negotiations which started on Tuesday in Geneva should work towards sealing an agreement before the end of the month while urging them to have the political determination and creativity as well as partisan wisdom to forward “good names” and “good proposals.”

Leon wants an agreement to be signed next month in order to begin the transition. The two rival governments have to agree on the annexes to a comprehensive deal and the establishment of a unity government within the next three weeks because it will be “extremely risky to reach October without an agreement.”

The mandate of the Tobruk-based parliament known as the House of Representatives (HoR) will end in October and that could legally question any agreement signed by it. Leon said failing to reach an agreement before that deadline will lead to “a more chaotic situation.”

Tripoli’s parliament, General National Congress (GNC), wants some aspects of the draft agreement to be reviewed especially the articles that offer legislative powers to the HoR and merge the GNC with a proposed State Council with consultative powers.

Leon urged the delegates to “give the benefit of the doubt” to the process and it seems like GNC is softening its position after RIA Novosti reported that Mohammad Ammari, a GNC member, had confirmed that a national unity government may be established by September.

There have been reports that the Tripoli-based parliament wants the draft to include the persecution of “war criminals” and the nullification of HoR’s legislations passed since last year.