Excerpts from SRSG for Libya Bernardino Leon’s press conference late night Monday 21 September 2015 in Skhirat, Morocco:
You know that in every process in every negotiations there is a moment in which we have to declare that the job is done. And what I am coming to say tonight is that we finished our work. We have now a text that is the final text. So, our part of the process is now finished.
Now it is up to the parties, up to the participants in the dialogue to react to this text, but not in terms of adding more comments or getting back with something to negotiate.
It is the moment for them and for the Libyans after a process that has been longer, really much longer than we all expected and all thought that could be possible for a country that is facing o many challenges so for them to say yes we want to work together we want to overcome together these challenges or not.
This in case of the institutions, of course, it would be possible. They can refuse, they can reject this proposal. But in this case they will also be choosing the uncertainty, the difficulties to work with the international community, to work with other Libyans and, of course, putting this country in a very difficult position.
So on behalf of the United Nations, my second message tonight is for the parties, for all the Libyans to understand that this seems to be the only option. We know very well that as in all similar negotiations and agreements this is not perfect for most of the Libyans.
Every Libyan, every institution, every party, every organization will see elements in the agreement that they don’t like, but hopefully they will also see more elements that they like and they will all understand in this situation in Libya, such confrontation, killings, humanitarian crisis and so many problems, they must expect that if there is a solution, that this proposal is a solution, it will be a text like this final text like we have proposed today.
We have had during a year-long negotiations, discussions, exchanges, debates, with the different actors and at this stage we believe that the United Nations is well placed to assess when the final moment has arrived and to understand what the parties can accept and what they cannot accept.
This is what our responsibility as mediators is to assess that this moment has arrived and this is with our full sense of responsibility and with our understanding that the role of the United Nations is in the world and Libya today to tell the Libyans, tell the institutions that are involved that they have to be flexible, generous and they have to put the interest of their country above any other consideration.
