The UN was originally mandated to forge a political agreement together with a plan for a unity government between the two rival Libyan governments. The internationally-recognized government, the House of Representatives(HoR) is in the east in Tobruk. The rival government the General National Congress(GNC) is in Tripoli in the east. A series of talks, the Libyan dialogue, have been going on for over a year now. The former UN envoy, Bernardino Leon, presented a draft of the LPA to both parliaments some time before he left. He was unable to get either parliament to approve the LPA.
When Martin Kobler took over on November 17, he carried on where Leon left off. He refused to amend the LPA or even change the names of people Leon had suggested for the Government of National Accord(GNA). When Kobler also was unable to pass the LPA through either parliament, he gathered together representatives from each of the parliaments who supported the LPA together with others and had them sign the agreement. He then got the support of the UN Security Council and later a large number of countries at the Rome meeting on Libya held on Sunday. A date was set for signing on December 16 but for logistical reasons apparently was postponed until tomorrow.
The other day, a meeting was held in Malta between the presidents of the HoR and the GNC, both of whom oppose the UN LPA and support principles developed in an earlier Libya-Libya dialogue held between members of the two parliaments without the UN. At the meeting in Malta, they asked that the scheduled signing tomorrow be postponed and consideration given to their alternative plan. The press release this evening by Kobler makes it clear the signing will go ahead. It will go ahead with neither of the two rival governments’ approval.
In his release Kobler speaks of the LPA agreed to by the Libyan political dialogue. What he means is those members of the dialogue, 40 in all, who were invited to a meeting in Tunis and no doubt picked because they would support signing. All those who object were left out. None of those from the GNC or HoR were authorized to go or sign by the HoR or GNC, a truly outrageous procedure and not mediation at all. Nevertheless as Kobler points out in his release, the result was “welcomed by the United Nations Security Council and by the ministerial meeting in Rome on 13 December.” Kobler also says: I take note of the meeting between President of the House of Representatives Mr. Agila Saleh Essa Gwaider and President of the General National Congress Mr. Nouri Abusahmain in Malta on 15 December 2015.
In other words Kobler is aware of the meeting and no doubt what the two presidents asked for but his response is to go ahead with the signing. He cannot be bothered even to reply to the request. He ends up with a real howler worthy of Onion:
The United Nations encourages all Libyan efforts to end the current divisions through inclusive dialogue, and I will continue to actively engage with all Libyans to that end.
He wants inclusive dialogue with everyone who agrees with the UN-sponsored LPA. Others could face sanctions.
Kobler also actually met with the commander of the Libyan National Army of the HoR, General Khalifa Haftar. Haftar has always rejected the LPA. The pro-HoR or now pro-UN Libya Herald reports on the meeting. Kobler had to go to Haftar’s headquarters in Marj — Haftar did not come to him. Kobler described the meeting as “fruitful.” They both agreed on the necessity to fight terrorism. Haftar considers all the armed forces of the GNC terrorists, a position I doubt Kobler shares. Haftar said very little. The Herald does not mention Haftar is a fierce opponent of the LPA and has said he would never agree to a ceasefire with the GNC armed forces. There is no mention either of whether Haftar will remain as commander of the Libya National Army a crucial question. The present draft of the LPA gives that task to senior members of the GNA: Terms of Reference of the Presidency Council of the Council of Ministers:
In the light of this and Haftar’s rejection of the LPA, it is not clear how the talks could have been fruitful. They may have been fruitful but Kobler obviously does not want to reveal anything of substance about the talks. He does not bother to mention this meeting in his latest news release.
a. Assume the functions of the Supreme Commander of the Libyan army.
