US Hopes Algeria Conference Will Ease Tensions in Libya

Arab World

August 25th, 5:56am

Cairo – Khaled Mahmoud

US Ambassador to Libya Richard Norland meets with Algerian Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra in Tunis. (US Embassy in Libya via Twitter)

Algeria is set to host a meeting for the foreign ministers of Libya’s neighboring countries in an effort to ease its ongoing political and military crisis. The United States welcomed the conference, which will aim to support holding Libyan elections on time in December and tackle efforts to stop the spread of violence in the South. US Ambassador to Libya Richard Norland held talks in Tunis on Monday with Algerian Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra on the conference. In a tweet, the US Embassy said: “The United States welcomes this initiative as part of international efforts to stabilize Libya and the region, and secure the withdrawal of foreign forces including foreign fighters and mercenaries.” For his part, Lamamra said the talks discussed the UN-sponsored political process in Libya and ways neighboring countries could contribute in these efforts. Meanwhile, Minister of State for Communication and Political Affairs, Waleed Ellafy told Bloomberg that the parliamentary and presidential elections set for December 24 may be delayed if parties fail to agree on a constitutional foundation next month. “If the legal framework isn’t issued by the beginning of September, there will be a problem holding the elections on time,” said Ellafy, citing information provided by the national election commission. Meanwhile, head of the Presidential Council Mohammed al-Menfi held talks with UN special envoy to Libya and head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) Jan Kubis. Discussions focused on national reconciliation and obstacles hindering the elections. In a statement, Menfi’s office said the meeting tackled the security situation in the country and coordination with neighbors over joint security affairs. It cited Kubis as hailing the Presidential Council’s efforts in unifying state institutions and consolidating reconciliation. Separately, the ISIS extremist group claimed responsibility for the recent suicide attack that targeted a position of the Libyan National Army in the southern town of Zella. It claimed that the car bombing led to human casualties and material damage.

from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/3150941/us-hopes-algeria-conference-will-ease-tensions-libya