UN-backed Libya talks fail to reach consensus — statement

GENEVA: UN-sponsored talks aimed at paving the way for presidential and parliamentary elections in Libya in late December failed to find common ground, the deputy of the UN mission in Libya said on Friday night after weeklong talks near Geneva.
Raisedon Zenenga, Assistant Secretary-General and mission coordinator of the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), told the closing session: “The people of Libya will certainly feel let down as they still aspire to the opportunity to exercise their democratic rights in presidential and parliamentary elections on 24 December. This does not bode well for the credibility and future relevance of the LPDF (Libyan Political Dialogue Forum).”
“I encourage you to continue to consult among yourselves to pursue a workable compromise and cement what unites you,” he said.
Earlier on Friday, UN spokesman Rheal LeBlanc told a UN briefing in Geneva that UN envoy for Libya Jan Kubis is recovering from COVID-19, and coming out of quarantine shortly, but has followed the talks being held near Geneva remotely.
“I think if you read the remarks of Mr. Kubis you could deduce that the discussions were quite difficult,” LeBlanc said. “He’s really pushing for consensus to be achieved on the way forward to find that Constitutional basis that will allow the country to hold the scheduled elections on Dec. 24.”

UN-backed Libya talks fail to reach consensus — statement