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By Libya Herald reporters.
Tunis, 6 July 2017:
UNSMIL chief Martin Kobler has reacted angrily to Abdullah Thinni’s claim yesterday that the international community was trying to impose an unworkable political agreement and was “screwing up” the political process.
Kobler responded today saying that the Thinni was not the internationally-recognised prime minister of Libya.
Thinni was appointed in 2014 by the House of Representatives which continues to be accepted by the international community as the legitimate parliament. It is the HoR’s inability to vote on the Government of National Accord which is holding up the political process. Thinni argues that without that approval, he and his cabinet remain the real government. However, being based in Beida, they have little access to the levers of power.
Kobler, in an email to the news agency AP, to whom Thinni gave the original interview, pointed out that the GNA led by Faiez Serraj was recognised by UN Security Council resolution 2259. This had also instructed member states to cease dealing with any parallel institutions, which includes the Thinni government.
He pointed out that the Presidency Council under Serraj was recognised by the EU, the African Union and the Arab League as the sole legitimate executive authority.
It is understood that the UN chief is sending out invitations for a new meeting of the Libyan Political Dialogue to be held at the end of the Eid holiday.
