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Situation in Libya

Russian top diplomat meets with head of Libyan Presidency Council

According to a statement by the Russian Foreign Ministry, the sides stated the need to consolidate international aid to Libya’s transitional government

UNITED NATIONS, September 25. /TASS/. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met with the head of Libya's Presidency Council, Mohamed Younis Menfi, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly on Friday to discuss international aid to Libya.

"It is important for us to understand what the international community can do to help the people of Libya. We always rely upon your nation’s wisdom," the Russian minister said.

According to a statement, issued by the Russian Foreign Ministry, the sides stated the need to consolidate international aid to Libya’s transitional government.

Lavrov and Menfi stressed "the need to consolidate international support to the transitional authorities of Libya with the aim to further promote the political process with the leading role of the United Nations, in accordance with the UN Security Council Resolutions 2510 and 2570 and decisions made during the international conference on Libya in Berlin," the statement says.

The sides also noted certain progress in the Libyan reconciliation process, achieved this year.

"A positive assessment was given to activities of central governmental institutions for the transitional period, created in the country in the spring of 2021 - the Presidential Council and the National Unity Government. Preparing and holding the presidential and parliamentary elections, scheduled for December 24, 2021, was named as the main priority of Libya’s transitional government," the ministry said.

"The Russian side reaffirmed the importance of reaching a nationwide consensus on key issues of the national agenda, taking into account interests of all Libyans with the purpose of maintaining unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country," the ministry added.

In February 2021, the Libyan prime minister and the Presidential Council were elected at the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum in Switzerland. They assumed offices in Tripoli in March. Their key tasks are to unite the fragmented government, as well as to prepare and organize the presidential and parliamentary elections tentatively scheduled for December 24.

During a closed session on September 21, the parliament of Libya voted to pull its confidence from the transitional government led by Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh, but the cabinet will continue its work until the general election, slated for December.

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