Libyan deal first step on path of building democracy: UN envoy

Signing of the Libyan political agreement is the first step on the path of building a democratic Libyan state based on the principles of human rights and the rule of law, the UN envoy said in Morocco on Thursday.

The agreement puts in place a single set of legitimate institutions, which are essential building blocks towards a peaceful, secure and prosperous Libya, said Martin Kobler, head of the UN Support Mission in Libya.

He insisted that the deal is just the beginning of a difficult journey, referring to countless challenges that Libya has to meet, including terrorism threat, the dire humanitarian situation in the eastern and southern constituencies.

The door remains open to those who did not join the accord, Kobler said, stressing that national reconciliation and inclusivity must continue to guide the work of the new transitional institutions.

The Government of National Accord must be a government of all Libyans back in the capital in Tripoli, he added.

The United Nations will continue to offer support to the new government, he said, noting that the presence of members of the international community to the signing ceremony showed their support for a peaceful and prosperous future for Libya.

Earlier Thursday, Libya's conflicting parties signed a UN-brokered deal in Morocco to end the country's political crises, in the presence of foreign ministers of Qatar, Turkey, Italy, Spain, Tunisia, Morocco, as well as representatives from western powers, China and Russia.

The agreement was signed by the rival parliaments, the internationally-recognized House of Representatives in Tubruk and the Islamist self-proclaimed General National Congress in Tripoli, alongside representatives of Libyan political parties, municipalities and civil society groups.

According to the agreement, the participants in the Libyan dialogue will form a unity government in order to put an end to the violence and political chaos in Libya. Endit