Istanbul, Turkey, 02 September 2015 - “We have just finished meeting with some representatives of the GNC. It has been a very frank and very open discussion. We have been discussing the different elements, different remarks, different comments - in some cases differences - and the possibilities or the different ways that UNSMIL is proposing to address these differences.

We have not exhausted all the issues. This is first meeting with an important number of members in a more open format and this is something that should continue. I encouraged the GNC members, saying as I encourage all the Libyans, to continue to engage, to discuss, to present their views and also to continue to try to find a solution as soon as possible. One of the messages that has been reiterated tonight has been that we have little time and we have to expedite the final solution.

This first initials in the agreement is just part of a process, part of the negotiations. What is important is not that particular part of the negotiations but the final signing. The final signing will come once there is an agreement on all the elements of the agreement, one you mentioned, but also the annexes and the government list. Once we have all these elements there will be a final signing. We will propose to do it soon so that the agreement can start its implementation by the 20th of October. So let me insist that what will be important is that all the parties sign after endorsing and voting this final agreement.

This is what we are trying to do now. What we did on the 12th of July was to put the first initials on part of the final package just to start the new stage. And this is what we are doing now, working on the annexes and working on the government and trying to have a final package that will make sense for everybody and will be signed by everybody.

We are working on the principle that only when we will reach a final package we will have a final agreement. Do we have tangible results? Yes, we have a draft agreement that is supported by many people and we are still in ongoing discussion with other personalities as the one we have just had tonight. Let us wait. We are trying to expedite the final decision in two, three weeks to see if we reach these tangible and concrete solutions.