Solution to Libya crisis will have to be political, not military one: FM

Tripoli: Foreign Minister of the internationally-recognized Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA) Mohamed Taher Siala affirmed that the solution to the crisis in his country will have to be a political, not a military, one.
Siala made the remarks at a press conference in Tripoli on Saturday, where he said: “We were about to proceed with the political solution through holding the comprehensive national conference as per the plan of the UN envoy, but suddenly there has been an attack on the capital by forces loyal to Haftar.”
“The Presidential Council (PC) was obliged to defend the capital, especially after the air raid on the airport while civilian aircraft are preparing to take off and land,” he added.
The foreign minister explained that the defenders of Tripoli are accused of being terrorists while they are the forces of the Presidential Council and supporting elements who acted on their own to defend the capital and its civilian residents as well as the private and public property. He said parts of these forces were those who cleared last Daesh holdout in Sirte, pointing out that there are no winners in Tripoli battle.
“That the solution will have to be a political, not a military, one – in accordance with the United Nations roadmap, which was adopted by the Security Council that entrusted the UN Mission (UNSMIL) for implementation under the chairmanship of UN Secretary-General Special Representative for Libya Ghassan Salamé,” Siala said, noting that the Libyan Foreign Ministry is in contact with the international community, the Security Council, the regional actors and all the regional organizations.
He expressed the hope that the Security Council will manage to intervene politically to stop the forces attacking the capital and convince their supporters to change their positions, in order to withdraw these forces to their sites before the attack.
The Libyan minister said that “following the decision of the military prosecutor to arrest the members of the Presidential Council and others, we are facing a coup against the political agreement – which is a new situation we warn of its danger”. He called upon “the regional and international organizations and countries to intervene politically to help us resolve our crisis”.
Siala stressed the need for the Libyans to solve their own problems through peaceful negotiations and national reconciliation, calling on Libyan dignitaries and wise men to intervene to end the conflicts that are tearing the country apart. IINA