By Libya Herald reporters.
Tripoli/Tunis, 14 October 2015:
Following a meeting today, Wednesday, to debate the names from UN Special Envoy Bernardino Leon of . . .[restrict]the new prime minister, deputy premiers and the two other members of Government of National Accord who will comprise the Presidency Council, the General National Congress in Tripoli has said that it needs more time to consider them and Leon’s Draft Agreement.
At a press conference this afternoon, the head of the GNC’s Dialogue negotiating team, Awad Abdul Saddeq said the proposals were still being discussed. He also claimed that the GNC had been “surprised” at the names because they had never been mentioned in nine months of negotiations.
Last week, Leon named HoR member Faiez Al-Serraj as prime minister and three deputy premiers – Ahmed Maetig, Fathi Majbri and Musa Kuni, representing Tripolitania, Cyrenaica and Fezzan respectively. The two other members of the presidency council named by Leon are Omar Aswad, from Zintan, and Mohamed Ammar, one of the GNC’s team at the Dialogue negotiations.
The GNC is believed to be under intense pressure to agree the deal, notably by Turkey and Qatar which support it.
The statement by Abdul Saddeq contradicts that of Sadiq Idris Mohamed, one of the HoR’s negotiators at the Dialogue. He told members of the House yesterday that most of the names had been first suggested at the Dialogue ten months ago.
He himself opposed them and the deal, he said.
Meanwhile Fathi Bashagha, the boycotting Misrata HoR member and commander of the city’s powerful Halbous Brigade has welcomed Leon’s proposals, saying that those chosen as well as 19 other names proposed by Leon for ministerial or other state positions were highly regarded and understood the country’s current political dynamics.
Leon has said that Bushagha, one of the Libya Dialogue negotiators representing the HoR boycotters, should be given the post of head of national security.
It is not known when the GNC will next meet. The HoR which similarly failed to make up its mind on the deal yesterday is due to meet again next Monday, the eve of the 20 October deadline set for an agreement by Leon. [/restrict]
