The Joint Drafting Committee Concludes its First Set of Talks & Back in a Week after Consultations with the House of Representatives & High Council of State
The Joint Drafting Committee of the House of Representatives and the High Council of State held today its sixth and final meeting within this set of talks at the United Nations Support Mission in Libya’s Tunis headquarter. The meeting were facilitated by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General in Libya, Dr. Ghassan Salamé.
Dr. Salamé said:
"I am pleased today that after nearly a week of working together going deeply into the drafting of the amendments to the text of the Libyan Political Agreement, we reached a number of understandings on several important points that need to be amended to reflect the developments in Libya.
“Now each delegation will return to consult with their colleagues in both Councils and then come back in a week from now for a second round.”
Dr. Abdul Salam Nassiyeh, Chairman of the Dialogue Committee of the House of Representatives echoed the Special Representative’s message, adding that
"we have reached several important understandings with respect to restructuring the executive authority to include a Presidency Council and a ministerial cabinet. We also discussed the responsibilities of these bodies, the terms for the nomination to these posts and other criteria.”
He also affirmed that what they discussed was not personality-based;
“we have not discussed any names, nor did built these structures with people in mind, but addressed clear mechanism for the selection process.”
The Chairman of the Dialogue Committee of the High Council of State Mr. Musa Faraj said that the atmosphere was positive, serious and frank. "
We want to make amendments that pave the way to a state based on institutions and proper structures that are functional and capable of leading us to the next phase. He added that these changes will carry the Libyan people through a short transitional period of about fifty weeks till the presidential and legislative elections take place and the Libyan people choose their elected leaders.”
These talks are the first time that the House of Representatives and the High Council of the State sit together around one table and discuss ways to advance a political solution for their country.
The Joint Drafting Committee talks are the first phase of the Libyan-owned Libyan-led UN announced Action Plan, which, in essence, reflects the hopes and aspirations of the Libyan people who want to move forward clearly and within a strict timeframe to end living in a constant state of transition.
(Source: UNSMIL)
