Statement by Chargé d'Affaires a.i. Dmitry Polyanskiy at the UNSC meeting on Libya
Mr. President,
We are grateful to the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Libya and head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), Ms. Hanna Tetteh, for her briefing. We listened carefully to the report of the Somali chair of the UNSC Sanctions Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970.
Once again, we see that the Libyans are still unable to address fragmentation and instability in their country. Amid the protracted crisis of statehood and stagnation of the country’s leadership, the country's key political players still show no willingness to seek mutually agreeable scenarios for its future development. On the contrary, we note the ongoing attempts by various players to establish themselves through the use of force, which could undermine the international community's efforts to normalize the situation in the country and bring even more problems for its people.
As a result, economic problems are snowballing in Libya, leading to a further decline in the standard of living and security of the people, which has already been unsatisfactory for the Libyans for the past 14 years, since the NATO aggression in 2011. The situation has reached the point where Libya, which is the country with the largest natural oil and gas reserves on the African continent, is now experiencing a shortage of fossil fuels. Growing social discontent results in regular outbreaks of violence. The crime situation is getting worse before our very eyes – there is an increase in crime, including organized crime. We are extremely alarmed by violence spilling over to the political level, as evidenced, in particular, by the recent armed attacks on the offices of the High National Elections Commission in Zliten, Zawiya, and Sahel al-Gharbi, which took place on the eve of the next round of municipal elections.
We hope that the Libyan leadership will acknowledge the importance of preventing further escalation and bloody clashes, including in large cities. We call on all political forces in the country to refrain from steps that could complicate the already very alarming situation. We welcome the ongoing work of the 5+5 Joint Military Commission, which met last week. We have high hopes that it will restore stability throughout the country. We support the synchronized, balanced, gradual, and phased withdrawal of all non-Libyan armed groups and military units, which would put an end to foreign military presence in the country.
Mr. President,
As we can see, efforts to give new impetus to the political settlement in Libya have, unfortunately, yielded only modest results so far. This should not discourage us, as international mediation has a very ambitious goal, which is to create conditions conducive to the holding of national elections and the subsequent restoration of the unity of the country, its state and economic institutions, and armed forces. The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) has a special role to play in this regard.
We urge the Special Representative to continue this difficult but necessary work, which will be successful if due attention is paid not only to the realities on the ground, but also to the opinions of the Libyan people themselves, since it is they who must determine the parameters for the political process in their own country. The task of UNSMIL is to create a favorable climate, seek appropriate solutions, and help find common ground between the country’s political forces, who sometimes are at odds with one another. This is not easy, but under no circumstances should we succumb to the temptation to foist a particular scenario on the Libyans as if it were the only option they have. As the UNSC's experience with regard to Libya’s file has shown, it is also pointless to set artificial frameworks and deadlines when it comes to political, economic, and security issues.
This fully applies to crafting a future roadmap for the Libyan settlement. Previous attempts to set out the contours for a settlement in this Arab country clearly demonstrate the urgent need to secure in advance unambiguous support from all influential players on the ground, without exception, including representatives of the former authorities. One can considerately suggest which way to go without trying to predetermine the final destination. Only in this case will the plan to bring the country out of crisis become feasible. We urge you, Hanna, not to forget about existing inter-Libyan formats for facilitating the political process, including the inter-parliamentary joint 6+6 Committee, as well as the national reconciliation track under the auspices of the African Union.
One of the reasons why the political process is stalling in Libya is the divergent interests of external actors regarding Libya. We urge responsible members of the international community to work together in their efforts to support the Libyan political settlement. It is important to build on proven, genuinely inclusive formats such as the Berlin Process on Libya. We are pleased to note that its work resumed in May. The main thing now is to continue in the same vein. This structure will either make a difference or prove to be completely destructive if certain participants, hiding behind the authority of one or another working group, act in a non-transparent manner and promote their own self-centered interests through it.
Mr. President,
We note that the problems surrounding frozen Libyan assets have recently become significantly more acute. Unfortunately, we see continued predatory attempts by some foreign actors to capitalize on the vulnerability of these funds by exploiting the loopholes in the parameters of their storage. Such actions are unacceptable, and the UNSC must effectively put a stop to them. The Libyans themselves have long been sounding the alarm on this issue, sending numerous complaints, including through the UNSC Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970. Unfortunately, this UNSC subsidiary body does not always respond promptly to their requests. We would like to remind you that preserving Libya's assets for the future benefit of the Libyan people is the direct responsibility of the Security Council, as clearly stated in its relevant resolutions.
In conclusion, I would like to reaffirm our unwavering and unconditional commitment to the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Libya, as well as to the objective of achieving long-awaited peace and stability in that country. We stand ready to continue providing the necessary assistance to our Libyan partners in this regard.
Thank you.
