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By Sami Zaptia.
London, 28 June 2020:
The US State Department reported Friday that it had held discussions last Wednesday with Libya’s internationally recognized government based in Tripoli on militia demobilization. It said it plans to do the same with eastern Libya.
Here is the full statement:
‘‘On June 24th the U.S. Government and the Libyan Ministry of the Interior (MoI) met virtually to resume discussions on militia demobilization. The end of the siege of Tripoli has created a renewed opportunity and an imperative to address militias, in the west and in the east of Libya. As part of continued U.S. engagement with all sides, the U.S. delegation will convene a similar conversation with LNA representatives.
The two parties affirmed that all Libyan citizens should enjoy the protection of capable and accountable security forces, free from the dangers posed by militias, armed groups, and foreign fighters. The MoI delegation briefed the U.S. side on its efforts to promote security and a program for militia disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration (DDR), as well as ongoing work to neutralize unexploded ordnance in the Tripoli region. The delegations reaffirmed that armed groups that attempt to spoil the political process or engage in criminal acts do so at a significant risk of international sanctions.
The U.S. delegation stressed opposition to all foreign intervention in Libya and discussed the imperative of an immediate ceasefire and return to UN-facilitated security and political negotiations’’.
