Kuwait calls on parties involved in Libya for self-restraint

NEW YORK, May 21 (KUNA) -- Kuwait called on all parties involved in Libya for self-restraint and respect commitment they made to international law on human rights and not to target civilians or civilian facilities, affirming on the importance of peaceful solution through ongoing dialogue.
During a Security Council session on Libya, Kuwait Permanent Representative to UN Mansour Al-Otaibi made the remarks, calling as well on the same parties involved not to resort to military means to end the crisis.
Al-Otaibi highlighted developments in the past years in Libya, ongoing regional and international efforts, including UN exerted efforts to determining the location of hosting a national conference, which was long awaited for and many rounds of talks with all Libyan factions for more than a year.
The diplomat added such efforts was exerted in order to ensure the necessary conditions were met and to find an effective and lasting solution to the crisis that entered its ninth year and led into a political settlement that respects Libyan national principles.
Al-Otaibi pointed out that the international community was anticipating to hold such National Conference after the Security Council reacted positively to invitation through its adoption of press release which welcomed the intention of the Libyan parties to participate actively in the events of this conference, which reflected on UN Secretary General Antonio Gutierrez visits to Tripoli and Benghazi with the goal of creating the appropriate conditions.
Al-Otaibi added that the international community urged those parties to ensure participation and acceptance, but was surprised by the outbreak of armed clashes in and around the Libyan capital Tripoli during the first week of last April.
Al-Otaibi pointed out that these confrontations left around 450 dead and more than 2,100 wounded and led to the displacement of about 70 thousand civilians outside the areas of confrontation, thus endangering the life of citizens and their property to real danger.
The diplomat noted that these confrontations contributed in endangering the political process there, which may lead to undermine all efforts made over the past years to end the crisis.
Al-Otaibi stressed the need to work in a constructive and concrete manner with the calls and efforts led by the United Nations mission in Libya to immediately stop the fire and reduce the military escalation, as well as the importance of cooperating to provide the necessary guarantees to hold the National Conference. (Pickup previous) asf.mb