Skhirat, Morocco – 18 September 2015 - SRSG Bernardino Leon’s remarks at press conference announcing agreement between House of Representatives delegation and House of Representatives Boycotters on addressing Libya’s new transitional phase:

You know that you are used to see me arrive here with a lot of expectations and you are always waiting for me to say we made it, we have the agreement. And I come to tell you: We are still there. We are still working. We have not reached the final decision. Today, let me tell you we that I am coming with good news, very good news. And this is probably the most important good news that our dialogue has produced so far. I am coming here today to announce an agreement between the HoR delegation and HoR boycotters delegation to immediately start addressing the new transitional phase of the country from the House of Representatives.

You know that we have been working in this dialogue for a year. We have had ups and downs, moments more difficult, easier moments. I want to pay tribute to this group of women and men. They are all here with me and I want to tell you that I am sure that the Libyan history will remember them because of the agreement they have reached.

You know that three articles of the (Libyan Political) Agreement, 16-17-18, propose this dialogue and enhance the need for the institution to reflect all the Libyans, with the support of UNSMIL as a facilitator, and this agreement is not only a historic agreement for Libya, it is a very strong message of hope, a very strong message of unity. This is the first word that Libyans will hear from them: unity, democracy because all of them are ready to address politically, democratically their differences in the House of Representatives they have been able to address all the pending issues and to find solutions for all of them.

So, it is also a very strong message, example, for all the people involved in this dialogue that it is possible to solve their differences politically. It is possible. So, I hope that all the Libyans that think that fighting, killing is the only solution to solve their differences will listen to this group of women and men, this great and exemplary group of politicians that are telling them we can talk, we can listen to each other and we can have a democracy where everybody can have a say and everybody can be involved in the decision making.

I don’t want to speak anymore. The protagonists of this decision are them. So, I will leave them the floor, just enhancing on behalf of the United Nations that represents the world community, on behalf of the international community that is represented here by many ambassadors from the most important countries in the region and the most important countries in the world we thank them, we pay tribute to their work which will be a reference not only for Libya. You have heard this before from me and I will repeat it: this group is bringing hope to the whole region, to those who are killing in Syria, in Iraq, in Yemen, and also the message for them it is possible to solve peacefully their differences.
So Let me insist, it is a history day, it is great news, it is probably the most important message. We have been addressing from this national dialogue to the Libyan people.

Thank you very much and now I leave them to explain what this agreement has been.

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Let me just add that this is an agreement inside the agreement. So, it is important that you understand that this dialogue has – and I hope this is clear - it requires some internal agreements and some articles in the text, as I told you before there are three artiles asking these two groups to reach an agreement that guarantees the plurality, the principles of inclusion, balance, consensus also in the House of Representatives.

So this is an agreement inside the agreement, and it is a very positive news. We still have to reach a final agreement on the other issues. Let me tell you that we are expecting the GNC delegation to come today and to restart our work for this final stage which we still hope to finish by September 20th. We have little time, a lot of work to do and we will continue to inform on the evolution.