Statement by Permanent Representative Vassily Nebenzia at UNSC Briefing on Libya
Mr. President,
We thank Ms. Stephanie Koury, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Libya and the UNSMIL Officer-in-Charge, for her briefing, as well as Mr. Yamazaki Kazuyuki, Permanent Representative of Japan, for the briefing in his capacity as the Chair of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970. We also thank Ms. Hala Bugaighis.
Mr. President,
The situation in and around Libya is intensifying. There remains a dual power structure in the country, and the antagonism amongst Libyan leaders is growing. The political process is at an impasse. Various contradictions are emerging one after another in the domestic political arena. All of this creates fertile ground for the development of new acute problems that delay even further the prospects of a sustained settlement and normalization of the situation.
The situation can change for the better not until there is a gradual and inclusive political process that involves the former authorities and is aimed at the benefit of all Libyans. The outcome would be the finalization of work on modalities for holding presidential and parliamentary elections throughout the country and, ultimately, the establishment of a Libyan Government that would unify the whole nation. The international community can and should help the Libyans in this. Not by imposing artificial deadlines and alien “recipes”, but rather by facilitating a genuine dialog between Libyan protagonists.
Mr. President,
At the same time, we note that the situation on the ground has so far remained relatively stable. The ceasefire regime is being observed without serious violations. Sporadic clashes between various armed groups occasionally take place in some parts of the country, but this does not change the overall picture. Accordingly, there is still a need for further work to unify the armed forces, which is something that lies in the political field and is directly related to progress in a comprehensive settlement.
At the same time, we continue to advocate, in a consistent and well-reasoned manner, a synchronized, balanced, gradual and phased withdrawal of all non-Libyan armed groups and military units. Any other scenario would pose serious risks of upsetting the fragile balance that has been established on Libyan soil.
Mr. President,
We welcome the compromise reached with regard to the leadership of the Libyan Central Bank. Unifying government institutions, including financial ones, and the preservation of the unity of the Central Bank affects the process of a Libyan settlement. At the same time, we believe that specific aspects of the financial and economic policy of the former Jamahiriya is a matter of the domestic jurisdiction of this country and could hardly be qualified as a peace or security issue. We see no great use in trying to exercise “manual control” of such processes from the outside.
We also welcome the resumption of oil production at a number of fields in the east of the country. We fully understand how interested the Libyans themselves are in ensuring stable supplies, since most of the country's income comes from oil revenues, which is then used to improve living conditions, pay the salaries of civil servants and establish an uninterrupted electricity supply.
In this regard, we are surprised by the sharp reaction of some Western countries to any slightest disruption in the supply of Libyan hydrocarbons. It seems that Libyan oil is the only matter of concern for them. It looks very odd not only against the background of other pressing Libyan problems, but also in the context of an unprecedented regional escalation in the Middle East, which can spread to more and more states. We believe that the conjectural interests of certain actors should not overshadow the pressing need to reach a political settlement in Libya.
There is no room for hesitation in these matters: the future of the country depends on how soon the parties will find the “common denominator”. In this regard, it is important to consolidate the approaches of foreign actors and unite their efforts in order to pull the country out of the crisis and discourage all protagonists from taking drastic and destructive steps, which would prevent further escalation.
We are convinced that Libya should not become an arena for competition among various states pursuing their own agenda in that country. Russia shares the international consensus as regards the central role of the United Nations in the Libyan settlement process. In particular, we would like to emphasize our unwavering support for the efforts of the key element of this configuration, namely the UN Mission in Libya.
We regret that after Mr. Bathily’s left, the “transition period” is dragging on. We all realize that no matter how hard his former teammates try, without a full-fledged new leader of the mission approved by the UN Security Council, the mission cannot fully perform its functions to foster national dialogue. In these circumstances, we cannot agree to the renewal of UNSMIL's mandate for a long period. We are ready to work towards a swift resolution of this issue. We welcome the constructive approach of the UNSG in this regard. We expect new proposals on the candidates from António Guterres. This will require due consideration of the views of all Libyan stakeholders and regional actors.
Thank you for your attention.
