Libyan Member of Parliament (MP) Abdulsalam Nasieh emphasised that “if the dispute over the presidency and arms is not resolved together, we will not achieve the desired stability or hold genuine elections that everyone accepts.”
In a press statement, Nasieh called on the United Nations (UN) Envoy, Abdoulaye Bathily, to “establish a dialogue that includes these two issues between the parties to the local and external conflict, instead of going in fake paths.”
Nasieh said, “this dialogue is more important than reciting the political hypocrisy terms issued by the countries intervening in Libya and instead of sterile meetings that only perpetuate the crisis and manage it.” He stressed the need for “consensus on the issues of presidential elections and arms in preparation for the elections so that we do not continue in a vicious circle.”
The Libyan MP added, “this vicious circle appears to be a dispute over the candidacy of dual nationals and military personnel, and in its core, there is a deep disagreement over the presidency and arms.”
He also pointed out that “the issue of the proliferation of arms witnesses a variation among Libyans. Some of them see the need to keep the arms as they are now to ensure a balance between political and social forces.”
Nasieh also noted that “there are those who see the need to disarm even by force from militias and armed formations,” adding that “there are also those who see the need to unify the army first under civilian authority.”
The Libyan lawmaker further explained that “there are those who see the need for consensus on this issue by presenting all concerns and providing all guarantees to reach the monopoly of weapons by state institutions under civilian authority.”
He concluded by wondering, “do the internal and external parties really want to resolve the issue of arms within the framework of the state and dispel everyone’s fears? Or is there a veto on that?”
