UN envoy: Libyans calling for all mercenaries to leave the country

There is broad and strong support in Libya for holding inclusive elections on Dec. 24, which should remain a key focus for the new interim executive authority and state institutions, the UN Libya envoy said on Wednesday.

Speaking during a UN Security Council meeting, Jan Kubis said that for the polls to take place, “it is critical to have confirmed and clear legal and constitutional frameworks for the presidential and parliamentary elections.”

Kubis said that all Libyans and Libyan authorities call mercenaries and foreign forces to leave the country as soon as possible.

“Their withdrawal from Libya will go a long way in reconstituting the unity and sovereignty of the country and healing the deep wounds caused by many years of internal strife, active conflict, and foreign interference,” he said. “Libyans from all stripes and across the political spectrum are vehemently calling for all mercenaries and foreign forces to leave the country – a call supported by the Libyan authorities and institutions.”
He added that the 5+5 Joint Military Committee agreed to open the coastal road connecting Misrata with eastern Libya in two weeks.

Kubis said the reopening of the coastal road remains a critical step for the steady and sustainable implementation of the Ceasefire Agreement.