By Jamie Prentis.
Tunis, 11 December 2017:
The Arab League has thrown its weight behind the action plan of UN envoy Ghassan Salamé to solve the Libyan crisis, insisting that amendments based on the Libyan Political Agreement (LPA) are the only way forward in Libya.
In Cairo today, Presidency Council head Faiez Serraj updated Arab League head Ahmed Aboul Gheit on plans for a constitutional referendum and legislative elections next year. He also cautioned of the problems faced by Salamé in his various consultations with Libyan leaders in bringing the plane to fruition.
For his part, Aboul Gheit insisted the League remained committed to resolving Libya’s issues, unifying state institutions and restoring security, a League spokesman said.
The same spokesman said Abou Gheit was briefed on Presidency Council efforts to deal with the “burdens” Libya faced due to illegal migration. Serraj explained the measures taken to investigate allegations of the alleged migrant slave trade in Libya.
The PC head also met with members of the Libyan community in Egypt. Discussions included difficulties obtaining residency visas and the costs involved, work, school and higher education, and the problems in transport to and from Libya. He insisted there was a genuine desire to remedy the concerns Libyans in Egypt faced.
Serraj also said the PC had nothing to do with negotiations between the House of Representatives and State Council to agree on amendments to the LPA. Whatever the two sides eventually agreed upon would be accepted by the PC, Serraj declared.
