During a phone call to Libyan National Army (LNA) Commander Khalifa Haftar, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stressed that there was no military solution to the conflict in Libya. He added that “the solution can only be political, Libyan-owned, and Libyan-led”.
According to the spokesperson for the Secretary-General, Stephane Dujarric, Guterres assured Haftar the United Nations’ full commitment to dialogue within the 5+5 Joint Military Commission talks. He also informed Haftar of his commitment to help find a solution to reopen the closed oil facilities.
“What is clear is that the phone calls were made within – and this in regard to Haftar – within the good endeavors of the Secretary-General, and within the mandate given to the United Nations” Dujarric said.
He also emphasized that mediators, whether the Acting Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General Stephanie Williams, or the Secretary-General himself, need to speak to actors on the ground. Adding “this does not give them any kind of legal status, but if you are going to make peace, you will have to talk to those who wage war”.
On Wednesday, the UN Secretary-General made two separate phone calls to the Prime Minister of the Government of National Accord (GNA), Fayez Al-Sarraj, and the LNA Commander, Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, to discuss the latest developments in Libya.