UN envoy says Libyan leaders agree on importance of elections

TRIPOLI, Dec. 19 (Xinhua) -- Head of UN Support Mission in Libya, Ghassan Salame, on Tuesday said that the Libyan leaders agreed on importance of holding presidential and parliamentary elections.

Salame made his remarks after meeting with Agila Saleh, speaker of the eastern-based House of Representatives, or the parliament, in the eastern city of Tobruk, where the two officials discussed the political process and the UN-proposed action plan.

"All stressed that free and fair elections are the best way to usher Libya into institutional and political normalcy," Salame said.

Salame confirmed that "the mission has been working with the election commission and other institutions for three months to achieve these elections and meet necessary political, security, technical and legislative requirements."

Libya has been suffering political division following the 2011 uprising that toppled former leader Muammar Gaddafi's regime.

Aimed at ending the political crisis in Libya, Salame proposed an action plan in September that includes amendment of the 2015 political agreement and holding presidential and parliamentary elections. Enditem