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By Libya Herald reporters.
Tunis/Tripoli, 23 March 2016:
UN Special Envoy Martin Kobler was prevented from flying to Tripoli today by the “government” there . . .[restrict]despite a statement the day before yesterday by Nuri Abu Sahmain, head of the continuing General National Congress (GNC), that Kobler would arrive in the Libyan capital today for talks.
“Again had to cancel flight to Tripoli. wanted to help pave the way to pc in tripoli capital of ilbya. UN must have the right to fly Tripoli” (sic), Kobler tweeted this morning.
According to a Tripoli official, the visit was postponed till next week for “logistical reasons”.
However, the Libya Herald has been informed that the regime last night had demanded an agenda from Kobler and tried to set conditions on his visit which he refused to accept. Essentially these were that he meet formally with both Nuri Abu Sahmain and Tripoli prime minister Khalifa Ghwell at their offices and discuss their agendas.
In an interview on the pro-Tripoli regime Nabaa TV yesterday, in which denied he had previously prevented UNMSIL from going to the capital, Abu Sahmain complained that it had been “illegally” in contact with militias in the capital. “This has led us to reconsider our offer and Kobler must apologise on this issue,” he declared.
Clarifying the situation following a Tripoli regime cabinet meeting today, Ghwell’s “foreign minister”, Ali Abuzakouk, said that Kobler’s visit had been postponed until next Monday and would take place only if he agreed not to meet anyone other than regime officials.
UN officials today spoke of Tripoli regime “obstructing” Kobler, stating that such action was unacceptable. They pointed out that he could no longer talk to the GNC because the Security Council had forbidden contacts with all unrecognised Libyan bodies.
The development came just hours before the European Union was expected to formally unveil plans for sanctions against Abu Sahmain and Ghwell as well as House of Representatives president Ageela Salah. [/restrict]
