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By Libya Herald staff.
Tripoli, 13 June 2014:
Libya’s three main western allies have expressed their deepening concern about the situation in the . . .[restrict]country.
The US State Department has said it was worried about the ongoing violence, blaming “dangerous posturing” which it said could lead to widespread conflict.
Its statement came less than 24 hours before violent clashes broke out in Tripoli around and at the capital’s airport.
In it, Washington reaffirmed its support for Libya’s transition to democracy, urging the newly elected House of Representatives to convene as soon as possible. It also emphasised the importance of a constitution and the work of Libya’s Constitutional Drafting Assembly (CDA), saying it had to move ahead “without interference or violence”.
Stressing the vital importance of dialogue, political accord and the rule of law, it urged Libyans to not try to secure Libya’s future through force of arms.
“We urge all parties to engage in constructive dialogue to resolve their disputes,” it said. “The United States will continue to stand with the Libyan people as they navigate these challenges and build a free, prosperous, democratic, and secure state.”
Subsequent to the airport fighting, the British government called for an immediate end to violence there. One of its foreign ministry officials said the fighting put the lives of those in the surrounding area at risk.
Italian Foreign Minister Federica Mogherini has said that Italy was “fully committed to help Libya to get out of this transitional phase that now is showing all its weaknesses and dangers. But it’s up to the United Nations to take the lead in a strong initiative that will include the international community as a whole.”
But for such efforts to succeed, she added, different voices in Libya must “accept the rules of democratic dialogue, and avoid the use or arms and violence, that lead to chaos and hinder especially the Libyan people”. Too often in the past, she added, “the international community didn’t pay the necessary attention to this kind of crisis and failed to accompany the transitional process following the fall of dictatorial regimes. Nowadays we are still undergoing the consequences of those mistakes.”
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