US Ambassador to Libya, Richard Norland said Washington and other allies will use their diplomatic influence to support the new executive authority in Libya.
Ambassador Norland explained that he conveyed this message to the Head of the Presidency Council, Mohamed Al-Mnifi when they met in Tobruk. He added that Washington supports the process of stability and democracy through a “dual-track” approach.
“The first approach is to enhance diplomatic engagement internally with the government and people of Libya, and externally with international actors that play a role in Libya,” Norland told Al-Quds Al-Arabi in an interview published on Sunday.
The Ambassador stressed the need to hold the elections on the agreed date of 24 December, in order to form a democratically elected Libyan government, expel foreign mercenaries, and restore the country’s sovereignty. He pointed out that the United Nations will also maintain sanctions against actors who violate the arms embargo, noting that there are local militias that may also be subject to these sanctions.
Ambassador Norland affirmed the support of the international community and Washington’s support to the calls made by the Government of National Unity (GNU) headed by Abdel-Hamid Dbaiba for foreign forces to leave the country immediately.
He stated that the “Libya Stabilization Act” submitted to the US Congress “has not been adopted yet,” indicating that, “if this legislation is enacted into law, it will reaffirm Congress’s interest in supporting the elections on December 24, and helping the GNU to provide better services for the Libyan people. The Act will also help in dealing with the plight of immigrants and the removal of foreign forces, and in other economic and humanitarian fields,” he concluded.