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UN Security Council calls for quick implementation of political deal in Libya

Xinhua, December 8, 2016 Adjust font size:

The UN Security Council on Wednesday called for a quick implementation of a political deal in Libya in order to stop fighting and form a national unity government in the North African country.

The 15-nation UN body, in a press statement issued here late Wednesday, said that the council members "expressed their deep concern over the challenging political and security context in Libya and the serious political polarization resulting in a deterioration of the security, economic and humanitarian situation."

The council members "further expressed their deep concern over the recent escalation of violence between armed groups in Tripoli, and called on all parties to immediately heed the Presidency Council's appeal to cease fighting," the statement said, adding that they condemned the actions of those calling for violence.

"The members of the Security Council reaffirmed their full support for the Libyan Political Agreement and called on all parties to accelerate its implementation," the statement said.

The statement added that almost one year has passed since the signing of the Libyan Political Agreement, the UN-mediated agreement achieved between two rival Libyan parliaments, the internationally-recognized Council of Deputies in Tobruk and the self-proclaimed Tripoli-based General National Congress.

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

The statement came after the Security Council was briefed on Tuesday by the special representative of the UN secretary-general, Martin Kobler, who reported about the stalled implementation of the political agreement in Libya.

The Security Council also reiterated its "grave concern about the terrorist threat" in Libya and "urged Libyans across the political and security divide to unite and join forces under unified command in their fight against ISIL (the Islamic State, or IS) in the service of their country and called on armed actors to halt violence against civilians," the statement said.

Libya remains divided politically between two governments and parliaments, despite the UN-brokered peace agreement signed by the country's political rivals in December 2015. Endi