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By Sami Zaptia.
London, 4 October 2021:
Commenting on Saturday on the House of Representatives (HoR) and High State Council (HSC) talks in Rabat, Morocco (30 September to – 1 October 2021), US Special Envoy and Ambassador to Libya Richard Norland said Libya’s political elite should not have a veto on electoral legislation and should trust their electorate.
Here is his statement in full:
‘‘It was important that representatives of the HoR and HSC met and held consultations over remaining issues surrounding the elections scheduled for December 24. UNSMIL was present as technical facilitator, and at the invitation of Moroccan Foreign Minister Bourita. We thank Morocco for its willingness to host these talks and for working to ensure that Libyan elections take place on time.
During my time in Rabat, I had a chance to meet separately with the participants. While it is clear that efforts are still needed to bring the parties closer, we hope due consideration will be given by each side to the legitimate concerns expressed by the other.
Nevertheless, if parliamentary and presidential elections are to proceed on December 24 in order to put in place a lasting legitimate government for Libya, the process must move forward now so candidate registration and other aspects of implementation can begin. No individual or institution should have veto power over critical electoral legislation – rather, Libya’s institutions and their leaders must trust the voters to decide who should lead the country.’’
