Libyan Higher Council of State urges commitment to political agreement

TRIPOLI, Dec. 20 (Xinhua) -- Libya's Tripoli-based Higher Council of State on Wednesday called on the eastern-based parliament to commit to the UN-sponsored political agreement.

Aburrahman Swehli, the head of the council, made his remarks during a meeting here with the British Ambassador to Libya, Peter Millett.

According to the council's media office, the meeting discussed political developments in the country and the UN-proposed action plan in Libya.

Swehli called on the eastern-based parliament "to clearly define its position on the political agreement and to recognize it as the sole reference for managing the country before moving to any other steps," the council's office said in a statement.

The statement added that Swehli stressed that "all political bodies, including the House of Representatives, derive their legitimacy from the political agreement."

Swehli also stressed the council's support for the political process based on consensus and partnership, and rejection of unilateral measures by the parliament, the statement added.

He was referring to an attempt to appoint a new governor of the Central Bank in violation of the terms of the locally and internationally recognized political agreement, said the statement.

Libya is suffering a political division between eastern government based in Tobruk and western governments based in Tripoli, including two divided Central Banks.

Libyan political parties signed a UN-sponsored agreement to end the state of division in the country. However, Libya remains politically divided amid insecurity and chaos. Enditem