Final agreement possible but still more talks needed: UN Special Representative for Libya

UN special representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) for Libya and Head of the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), Bernardino Leon, told the press on Friday that he really sees a chance to reach a final agreement in the coming days.

However, he stressed that "this is a very complicated negotiation" and "we still have this last mile and it is going to be really difficult and tough."

The new round of the Libyan political dialogue commenced at the United Nations Office at Geneva on Thursday, and during the past two days Leon have held a number of meetings with the parties concerned.

"We are making progress and my first comment is that we are now, after the meetings we had yesterday and today in Geneva, in a better position than when we started," he said.

According to the Special Representative, the parties have clarified a number of points with the different delegations, though there are still a couple of issues that the GNC, one of the major party in the talk, will have to consult with their colleagues.

"What I can tell you at this stage is that all the parties are ready to continue the discussions," Leon told a group of journalists in the UN Office at Geneva.

He noted that he hope all parties will have the possibility to reach an final agreement endorsed and signed by Sept. 20.

"We really have a chance to reach a final agreement in the coming days and that we cannot afford, Libya cannot afford, to miss this opportunity," he said.

According to him, the talks will continue and he will have more meetings Friday night and Saturday morning, including a meeting with the independents. Endit