Quartet Reject Foreign Intervention in Libya.

Tripoli, 19 March 2017(Lana) The Quartet consisted of League of Arab States, the African Union, the European Union, and the United Nations have reiterated their commitment to the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and national unity of Libya and its institutions under the Libyan Political Agreement, signed in Skhirat. They underscored, at a meeting they held at the headquarters of the League of Arab States on 18 March 2017, the urgent need for a Libyan-led peaceful resolution of the situation and reiterated their rejection of the threat or use of armed force by the Libyan parties as well as any foreign military intervention in Libya. The meeting was attended by the Secretary General of the League of Arab States Mr. Ahmed Abulgheit, the AU High Representative for Libya former President Jakaya Kikwete, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Vice-President of the European Commission Ms. Federica Mogherini, and the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General and Head of the UN Support Mission in Libya Mr. Martin Kobler. The Quartet strongly condemned all outbreaks of violence, including the armed attacks in the Oil Crescent that began on March 3. The Quartet called for the immediate cessation of military operations, the de-escalation of the situation and the need for all parties to refrain from any measures that could further exacerbate the situation on the ground. The Quartet called on all Libyan parties to preserve Libya's economic and oil infrastructure, and stressed the need for a unified and capable National Oil Corporation that must continue to be allowed to exercise its full responsibilities over all oil facilities throughout the country. They emphasized that Libya's national oil and wealth must be used for the benefit of all Libyans and channeled through legitimate Libyan mechanisms. The Quartet recognized the important role of the African Union and welcomed its decision to expand the AU High Level Committee (AUHLC) on Libya to include all the neighboring states in its membership, in line with the recommendation adopted by the AUHLC at its Summit in Brazzaville on 27 January 2017. They looked forward to the visit by the AUHLC foreign ministers to Libya in April 2017. The Quartet recognized the responsibility of the League of Arab States to promote a peaceful resolution of the situation in Libya, and welcomed its continued efforts to encourage the Libyan parties to fulfill their commitments in an inclusive and consensual manner under the Libyan Political Agreement. They underlined the importance of a cohesive and professional Libyan military operating under a unified chain of command as mandated by the LPA, and stressed the need to address this priority issue within an inclusive political dialogue among the parties concerned. =Lana=