On Monday, the EU High Representative for Security and Foreign Policy, Josep Borrell, voiced the EU’s strong determination to continue its support for dialogue in Libya, within the framework of the outcomes of the Berlin Conference to resolve the conflict in the country.
These remarks came during a press conference held by Borrell following the EU ministerial meeting of the member states in Brussels.
“I see a reason for cautious optimism. There is a positive momentum, there is a ceasefire and we need to use it,” Borrell said.
He also vowed to continue supporting the Libyan-led political resolution to end the conflict in the North African country.
“The EU strongly supports the Berlin process, mediation efforts and de-escalation measures, including arms embargo – key elements to bring Libya’s conflict to an end,” Borrell noted.
“We are asking for a diplomatic solution on the understanding that there is not any military solution in Libya,” he added.
Borrell said “The EU called on all sides to engage in a political process under the leadership of the United Nations,” noting that they will continue to deploy all efforts towards finding a peaceful and political solution to this process.
On the other hand, Borrell stated that the EU decided to remove the names of the Libyan Parliament Speaker, Ageela Saleh, and politician Nouri Abu Sahmain from its sanctions list.
The EU top diplomat pointed out that the IRINI operation had intercepted, weeks ago, a ship carrying military fuel to Libya. This shipment was a clear violation of the UN resolution to impose an arms embargo on the country.
Earlier today, the EU decided to impose targeted restrictive measures on two persons responsible for human rights abuses in Libya and three entities involved in violating the UN arms embargo in place for Libya.
They will be added to the EU’s list of persons and entities subject to restrictive measures related to the Libyan conflict.
The sanctions imposed comprise a travel ban and an asset freeze for natural persons, and an asset freeze for entities. In addition, EU persons and entities are forbidden from making funds available to those listed. With these new designations, the EU now has travel bans on 17 listed persons and has frozen the assets of 21 persons and 19 entities.