YouSaid · the spoken record

Elsonni

lines on the record: 293
first: 2020-01-30
most recent: 2023-11-08
sittings or episodes: 25
sources: un-security-council

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“We look forward to the second meeting, which will be hosted by our neighbour Egypt, to follow up on the dialogues that were held and during which there was emphasis on support for the initiative to achieve stability in Libya, support the political track and the outcomes of the 5+5 Joint Military Commission, and the inevitable need that there is only a Libyan-led solution to the Libyan crisis, as well as to address the need to respond to the Libyan people’s uncompromising sovereign demand that all fighters, mercenaries and foreign forces leave the country at the same time and under the direct supervision of the Libyan State.”
2021-09-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8855 (2021) · source
“The Government of National Unity stresses the pivotal role of Libya’s neighbouring countries in helping to achieve security and stability in our country and the region. We thank brotherly Algeria for hosting the ministerial meeting of neighbouring countries held a few days ago.”
2021-09-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8855 (2021) · source
“We extend our hand to the Council and welcome everyone to support the stability of Libya and rebuild confidence between the Libyan people and the international community, which had direct responsibility for the situation in Libya since 2011. This is an opportunity to prove good intentions, which the Council itself has recognized. We take this opportunity to welcome the recent international reconciliation and the review by several countries of their previous policies, as everyone is now convinced that there is no military solution to the Libyan crisis. Undoubtedly, all of this has a positive impact on the situation in Libya. We will not accept any kind of negative foreign intervention in our affairs again. We invite members to assist us in rebuilding, not destroying.”
2021-09-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8855 (2021) · source
“To that end, all need to come together in order to consolidate military and security institutions under civilian authority, integrate combatants, ensure the State’s monopoly over weapons and launch a comprehensive economic strategy based on social justice, equitable distribution of wealth and reconstruction. In that context, we invite the Council to provide support for that national initiative, especially as it is based on the outcomes of the two Berlin Conferences and resolutions 2570 (2021) and 2571 (2021). We also invite the Council to participate in the international conference called by the Government for next month, which will be hosted by Libya and in which the United Nations, regional organizations and brotherly and friendly countries that wish to contribute effectively to supporting Libya and its stability will participate.”
2021-09-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8855 (2021) · source
“There is no doubt that national initiatives to resolve the crisis in Libya constitute the basis on which we can work to achieve stability. Through the statements of its members, the Security Council has repeatedly highlighted the importance of Libyan ownership and leadership of any political process that leads the country to stability and Libyan State sovereignty over the whole of the country’s territory. Accordingly, the Government of National Unity has announced the launching of the Libya Stability Initiative, an exclusive national initiative that aims to achieve sustainable stability and is based on two important and interlinked tracks, namely, security and economic tracks.”
2021-09-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8855 (2021) · source
“In that regard, we call upon the bodies concerned to expedite consensus and properly complete the tasks entrusted to them according to what is set out in the political agreement and the road map adopted by the Security Council, so as to guarantee genuine national reconciliation and the non-recurrence of past conflicts and divisions, as well as to ensure that all parties accept the results of the elections scheduled for the end of this year without deviating from the democratic path that Libyans are searching for. We also call upon the United Nations once again to expedite the deployment of an elections needs assessment team to Libya to determine the technical and security preparations needed and the necessary support for State institutions to ensure a transparent and fair electoral process.”
2021-09-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8855 (2021) · source
“In the same context, in order to fulfil the obligations of the executive authority towards the road map for general elections, a ministerial committee was formed to support and make the elections successful, so as to provide the necessary technical, logistical and material assistance to support the work of the High National Elections Commission and educate and encourage citizens to register for the elections at home. The Ministry for Foreign Affairs also supervised the process of registering nearly 2.8 million voters abroad to date. A comprehensive plan was also prepared for securing polling stations by training more than 30,000 officers of the Ministry of the Interior.”
2021-09-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8855 (2021) · source
“Work is under way to improve medical services to address the consequences of this global pandemic. We take this opportunity to thank friendly countries and international organizations that recently contributed to providing support. As part of the Government’s work to deliver services to all parts of the country and establish the principle of decentralization and non-marginalization, the activation of the local administration law and the start of the national programme for transferring competencies to municipalities, enabling them to collect local revenues, and supporting municipalities in their service and development projects were announced.”
2021-09-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8855 (2021) · source
“Despite all the challenges facing the Presidency Council and the Government since its establishment, as well as the delay in consolidating the positions of the House of Representatives and the High Council of State, given the available capacity and the pending approval of the general budget, executive institutions have been largely unified and consolidated, while some basic service projects have also been launched. There is an urgent need to start addressing the most important issues that affect citizens, such as those having to do with energy and electricity and some important economic reforms. The coronavirus disease pandemic has been accorded special importance, by providing nearly 3 million vaccines, while 3 million more vaccines are on the way, in addition to preparing vaccination centres in several regions of the country.”
2021-09-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8855 (2021) · source
“Our discussion today comes at an important and critical time in my country’s crisis, one in which we have started to see some breakthroughs and real steps towards reconciliation among Libyans since the declaration of the ceasefire in October 2020 and the consensus that resulted in choosing the Presidency Council and the Government of National Unity through the Political Dialogue Forum, held in sisterly Tunisia, which we thank once again for everything it has done to support the Libyan people throughout the years.”
2021-09-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8855 (2021) · source
“Mr. Elsonni (Libya) (spoke in Arabic): At the outset, I congratulate you, Mr. President, and the Republic of Ireland on your assumption of the presidency of the Security Council for this month. I thank Mr. Ján Kubiš for his briefing; Ambassador T.S. Tirumurti, Permanent Representative of India, for his briefing on the work of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011), concerning Libya; and Ms. Asma Khalifa for her briefing — not only about women but also about young people of Libya, who have suffered over the years. We call on the Security Council to expand future participation in these meetings to include other sectors of Libyan society, including civil society, so that the Council may hear all views.”
2021-09-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8855 (2021) · source
“We would like to remind all present that we are eager to reach a peaceful solution, stop the bloodshed and work to find a platform for dialogue among all Libyans, without exception. We will spare no effort in working towards achieving that goal. We will, however, remain vigilant and prepared for ill-intentioned actions. For as we say, according to the Hadith, “Once bitten, twice shy”. The meeting rose at 4.40 p.m.”
2020-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8722 (2020) · source
“Some are trying to spread the rumour that those closures were carried out by Libyan tribes demanding equitable distribution of wealth. Many of those and others are contributing to the destabilization of the uncontrolled southern part of Libya, similar to what happened during the August 2019 massacre in Murzuq, which involved the killing nearly 40 citizens by direct air strikes. This information does not come from us; rather, it is derived from the relevant United Nations reports. Yet there are those who continue to call those people the Libyan National Army. In conclusion, we thank the States that have begun to reconsider their positions after understanding the aggressor’s intentions.”
2020-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8722 (2020) · source
“Will it be able to end violations and war crimes and hold their perpetrators accountable? Will it put an end to the flow of mercenaries? According to the report of the Panel of Experts on the Sudan (see S/2020/36), at least five Darfur armed groups have joined the Haftar militias, including the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army, the Transitional Council of the Sudan Liberation Movement/ Army, the Justice and Equality Movement, the Sudan liberation Forces and the Sudanese Revolutionary Awakening Council. There are thousands of mercenaries and materiel spread out in Al-Jufra, Al-Hone, Al-Qatrun and southern Tripoli, as well as in the oil crescent area. Sudanese mercenaries are intent on closing Libyan oil facilities.”
2020-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8722 (2020) · source
“What are the guarantees for the success of the outcomes of Berlin Conference and the political track, including the discussions to be held in Geneva? What are the guarantees for the success of the Berlin Conference? Thus far, we have not seen any concrete results from what is known as the 5+5 Libyan Joint Military Commission when it comes to confirming a ceasefire? Some parties have not yet given the names of their representatives for the political dialogue process. Others are apprehensive regarding the selection and representation mechanism, and about repeating past mistakes. Those are legitimate questions that need to be answered. The resolution has raised our hopes, and we remain hopeful that there might be a strong international will for its implementation. Will the Council this time be able to put an end to the obstructionists?”
2020-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8722 (2020) · source
“We hope that all the States that took part in the Conference will be committed to what was agreed upon and abide by the resolution. We also welcome the resolution’s mention of the importance of the African Union (AU) and the outcomes of the recently held summit in Addis Ababa. We hope that the AU will play an active role under South Africa’s chairmanship, especially when it comes to national reconciliation. Although we welcome this resolution, we are cautiously optimistic. We wonder why there are persistent violations of the truce and continued bombardment and killing of civilians. Why are there threats against civilian airports? Why is there a ban on the landing of aircraft, as experienced by the United Nations and the Special Envoy’s team? That was mentioned in a statement issued by the team this morning.”
2020-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8722 (2020) · source
“We welcome the resolution, which is committed to the sovereignty, territorial integrity and national unity of Libya, and which reconfirmed resolutions 2259 (2015) and 2441 (2018), regarding the Libyan Political Agreement and other sub-agreements emanating from it. The resolution emphasizes the legitimacy of the Government of National Accord and its exclusive direct supervision of the sovereign institutions and the national oil facilities. It also condemns the closure of oil facilities and stresses the need for them to reopen. Their closure affects all Libyans and threatens an all- out economic collapse in the country. At the same time, we thank Germany for its efforts and diplomacy and reiterate our support for the outcomes of the Berlin Conference to reach a peaceful solution to the Libyan crisis.”
2020-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8722 (2020) · source
“That would free Libyans from the international restrictions, leading to self-determination. As we hear every single day, the solution should be a Libyan-led and Libyan-owned. Today’s resolution is undoubtedly an official acknowledgement of the failure of the military adventure embarked upon by the aggressor and his supporters, and of the failure of the attempted usurpation of authority by force, as well as the failure of the coup against legitimacy. We are here today trying again to return to dialogue and a peaceful solution, which was just around the corner last April. We hope that the States supporting the aggression that has led to the killing, displacement and deepening of the wounds of Libyans have been convinced of the fact that the era of imposing solutions by force is long gone.”
2020-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8722 (2020) · source
“Mr. Elsonni (Libya) (spoke in Arabic): At the outset, I would like to congratulate you, Mr. President, on assuming the presidency of the Security Council for this month. We also express our appreciation to the members of the Council for their efforts in adopting resolution 2510 (2020), although it is long-overdue given the events in my country for more than 10 months now. We welcome the confirmation by the Council that the only solution to the Libyan crisis is a political one. While we understand the reservations of some States with regard to certain paragraphs in the resolution, we hope to work together in order to bring our views closer together and overcome any differences, with a view to achieving full consensus as we saw at the Berlin Conference.”
2020-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8722 (2020) · source
“Whether we agree or disagree with the regimes that ruled Libya, the monarchy united our country and the previous regime did not divide it. We will never allow that to happen. Libya will remember those who stood by its side during the ordeal and those who killed its people and ignited the crisis. Libya may be wounded today, but it will recover tomorrow and be strong, unified and sovereign, whether some like it or not.”
2020-01-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8710 (2020) · source
“We have always been at the forefront of any effort to stop the bloodshed of Libyans and will spare no effort in that regard. Before the aggression, we were very close to reconciliation with everyone, be they supporters of the old regime or among towns and tribes. Many displaced persons and migrants had returned to their homes. Today’s battle is not between East and West, as some are trying to popularize it. It is a war waged by a single individual for power — a war fuelled by our citizens. Our young people should be fighting for building and reconstruction, not destruction and demolition. What everyone ought to know is that Libyans will reconcile. No one will succeed in sowing discord among us. The rule of law will ensure that wrongdoers are prosecuted. Certain countries will not succeed in dividing us.”
2020-01-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8710 (2020) · source
“Among Government priorities is the protection of the assets of the Libyan people. In that context, the Libyan Investment Authority, in coordination with the Panel of Experts, has put in place a new strategy for good governance and transparency in our administrative system. We reiterate that we do not wish to lift the asset freeze during this period of division, even though we know that some countries and banks are exploiting the freeze. We are simply asking to be allowed to manage the assets in order to avoid annual losses that amount to millions of dollars. We therefore express reservations about the proposal of the Panel of Experts to freeze the assets of companies affiliated with the Libyan Investment Authority, which could have negative effects on income and investments. In conclusion, we extend our hand to peace.”
2020-01-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8710 (2020) · source
“For instance, the parallel bank has printed 11 or 12 billion dinars outside the framework of the State, 35 billion dinars have been borrowed from commercial banks and public debt amounts to 50 billion dinars. Those are all indicators that Libya’s economic regime needs radical reform. We need legislation to establish transparency and fight corruption. The fair distribution of wealth is guaranteed by the State Constitution by promoting decentralization and the optimal use of resources, as well as development and social justice. However, the Constitution, which was prepared by a committee elected by the people, has unfortunately not seen the light of day and the people have been deprived of their right to a referendum to accept, reject or amend it because of the same category of people who want to abuse power by force.”
2020-01-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8710 (2020) · source
“That problem will be solved not through armed confrontation or submission to a military Government but through dialogue, reconciliation, containment and economic recovery. Regarding the third point, the fair distribution of wealth is in fact a false pretext. It is an attempt by some countries to introduce guardianship mechanisms over our resources. More than 60 per cent of the State’s resources go to salaries and nearly 20 per cent to subsidies allocated to all Libyans. The rest is not even enough to cover administrative expenses or development projects. It would be much more useful to talk about the impact of the parallel entities on wealth.”
2020-01-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8710 (2020) · source
“There are also countries that provide them with financial support and weapons. Despite all that, through security arrangements made in coordination with UNSMIL and with very limited means, we have been able to reduce the number and power of the groups in a remarkable way. Moreover, we have managed to reintegrate a large number of their members, thereby enabling more than 40 diplomatic missions to set up in Tripoli since April 2019. Indeed, we have a long way to go. Violations are being committed, but everyone should know that many of our young people have been forced by circumstances to commit such acts and have been treated unfairly. Many of them are patriots who love their country, in some cases much more than those who call themselves the elite.”
2020-01-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8710 (2020) · source
“They were deceived during the truce violation, in which 10 of them became martyrs this past Sunday in an attack in the area of Abu Qurayn, where the fighting continues. We cannot deny that all Libyans have made sacrifices and fought terrorism, whether in the east, the west, the north or the south. But there are those who exploit their blood to gain power. As far as armed groups are concerned, we have to face reality. There are armed groups in every city and every region of Libya in one form or another. There are tribal groups, regional groups and ideological groups. We cannot put them all in one basket. The continuing chaos, the spread of weapons and the deterioration of the economic situation in the country over a number of years are all reasons that such groups thrive.”
2020-01-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8710 (2020) · source
“That will ensure that all Libyans, regardless of their affiliation and without excluding anyone can choose their leaders, unify their institutions and build a modern democratic State. Three pretexts are always used to justify aggression, namely, the fight against terrorism, the elimination of armed groups and the fair distribution of wealth. With regard to the fight against terrorism, we have always cooperated with a number of States, foremost the United States of America, to eliminate terrorism wherever it arose. For example, the liberation of Sirte from the hands of Da’esh was carried out by the heroes of the forces of Al-Bunyan Al-Marsous, who are now defending Tripoli while some falsely accuse them as being terrorists.”
2020-01-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8710 (2020) · source
“Thirdly, we call on the Security Council to quickly adopt a resolution that can support the outcomes of the Berlin conference, take a serious stance against the aggressor and demand that those who commit violations and war crimes be held accountable. We emphasize that we will pursue the countries involved in all international forums. Fourthly, any political dialogue must be based on the Libyan Political Agreement. The best way to end the crisis is to respect the will of the Libyan people and the constitutional process, as well as to move forward with presidential and parliamentary elections, under the supervision of the United Nations and the international community.”
2020-01-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8710 (2020) · source
“First, continued violations by the aggressor, even after the Berlin conference, and his refusal to sign the ceasefire agreement or to participate until now in the 5+5 Joint Military Commission, which should have held a meeting in Geneva the day before yesterday, again confirm that he does not intend to make peace. The aggressor’s spokesperson admitted as much last Sunday when he said, “[w]e will attend international conferences, but not to find a solution. We believe that the solution will be found through guns and ammunition”. Secondly, ongoing violations of the ceasefire might lead us to reconsider participating in any dialogue before such violations end and before the aggressor withdraws to its base and displaced persons return home.”
2020-01-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8710 (2020) · source
“We support this African move to support national reconciliation, as it complements the United Nations plan and the efforts of the Special Representative. We also welcome the Russian-Turkish initiative to put in place a ceasefire agreement, despite the fact that the other party refused to sign it in Moscow. We hope that Russia will pursue its efforts to ensure that the initiative succeeds. In that context, we welcome the efforts of Germany and Chancellor Angela Merkel in convening the Berlin conference on Libya, despite all the challenges and obstacles. We would like to clarify the following points.”
2020-01-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8710 (2020) · source
“Either the accusations against them are false and therefore they must defend themselves, or they are guilty and must be held accountable. We are weary of visiting capitals, and we call on Libyans to meet in their own country as was supposed to happen in Ghadames. However, we appreciate all the international initiatives and efforts to achieve peace. To that end, we underscore our support for the role of the African Union in resolving the Libyan crisis, which some attempt to marginalize. We also appreciate the efforts of the Group of African States in the Council. We further thank President Sassou Nguesso of the Republic of the Congo, who chairs the Committee on Libya, which held its meeting earlier today in Brazzaville. Haftar and those with him did not participate in that meeting, as he clearly snubs African efforts.”
2020-01-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8710 (2020) · source
“Despite our commitment to peace, we cannot be disloyal to our country. We cannot accept partial peace, which continues to expose us to threats. Our national army and the heroes of Operation Volcano of Rage are fully ready. They have demonstrated sufficient resilience and made enough sacrifices to stop the aggressors at the doors of Tripoli. It is our legitimate right to defend our people, cities and principles. We, respect and appreciate efforts made by the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011) concerning Libya in monitoring all violations. However, we wonder about its usefulness and effectiveness. Revealing the involvement of certain countries in committing those violations makes them chose between two things.”
2020-01-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8710 (2020) · source
“That has never occurred before in the history of the two neighbouring countries. In that regard, I was surprised to hear the representative of France speaking of violations these days. She forgot to name the countries that support aggression and commit violations. Unfortunately, the name of her country was cited in reports of the Sanctions Committee upon discovering Javelin rockets in Gharyan that belong to the forces of Haftar. The French Government responded at the time by saying that the rockets were to support the French Special Forces in 2014. Did France seek the approval of the Council in that regard? We say to the countries supporting the aggression that they are fighting a losing battle. Their efforts should seek to achieve peace and end bloodshed so that Libyans will not accuse them of having participated in the bloodshed.”
2020-01-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8710 (2020) · source
“The Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also stated that Emirati companies recruit young Sudanese and send them to Libya without their knowledge. Another document (S/2018/812) reveals information about the provision of equipment by Egyptian authorities and their participation in air strikes in eastern and western Libya over the past years. We therefore wonder — why such intervention? Thousands of miles separate Libya and the United Arab Emirates. Does such intervention not support the putschists? Although we understand Egypt’s commitment to its national security, we do not understand how the big sister of the Arab nation can become involved in supporting those who kill the people of their country, thereby serving only to fuel chaos and threaten security in the country and the region.”
2020-01-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8710 (2020) · source
“Other bodies, which are yet to be identified, have been found at a garbage dump. Kidnappings and torture continue, as we saw with the activist Ahmed Al-Kawafi and MP Siham Sergewa, who has been missing for six months. After all that, there are still those who equate the aggressor with the assaulted. Regrettably, there are countries that support such violations and crimes. There is proof of that. In addition, reports of the Council’s Panel of Experts on Libya established pursuant to Security Council resolution 1973 (2011) have confirmed such incidents, including the involvement of the United Arab Emirates on 11 separate occasions. The Panel’s final report (see S/2019/914) revealed the involvement of the United Arab Emirates in providing armoured vehicles, air defence systems, drones and laser projectiles.”
2020-01-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8710 (2020) · source
“Even civilian airports and schools have been targeted. All of that has occurred and the perpetrator has not been named by the Security Council. The Tajoura Detention Centre has not been spared; it, too, was bombed by foreign aircraft in July 2019. Fifty-three migrants, the majority of them Africans, were killed, as noted in the report on the United Nations Support Mission in Libya and by the Human Rights Council just a few days ago. These are just examples of an unprecedented series of violations, crimes and displacement incidents that have occurred in Tripoli’s ancient or contemporary history, not to mention the closure of oil ports and food manipulation of the Libyan people. The Secretary-General’s report also notes that in the east of the country, the militias of Haftar have carried out a series of public executions before cameras.”
2020-01-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8710 (2020) · source
“On 4 January, these aircraft carried out a strike against the military training institute in Tripoli, killing 32 young cadets, in the prime of their life. They represented all of Libya. How can that Army then claim that it is a national army, when it targets the cadets of a military training institute? Those young people are added to the thousands of civilians and displaced persons — women, children and the elderly — who have been killed under the rubble. Anas, Malek, Sanad and Zakariya were four children who were killed the day before yesterday, on their way to school in the Al-Hadaba region. Prior to that, there was a massacre in Farnaj, the killing of the children of the Keshirah family, the bombing of field hospitals and the killing of doctors and paramedics, such as Dr. Ayman Harameh and Samer Al-Sibaei.”
2020-01-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8710 (2020) · source
“He has called for jihad to be waged against Tripoli and even during the Secretary-General’s visit to the country. That has never occurred before. It was a few days prior to the Libyan National Conference, to be held in Ghadames. The Congress has been welcomed and supported by the Council. The current aggression has been in the works for years. That is why the aggressor has refused all political solutions. He has been provided by certain countries with heavy weapons, armoured vehicles and aircrafts, in addition to mercenaries from Chad, the Sudan, the Wagner Group and other sources. The Secretary- General’s report, for example, notes in paragraph 22 that Haftar and his forces have conducted more than 1,000 air strikes, including 60 air strikes by foreign fighter aircraft.”
2020-01-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8710 (2020) · source
“Given that the crisis has lasted nine years, the Council has a considerable moral responsibility to innocent civilian victims — children, women and young people — regardless of their affiliation. There have been six international envoys over the past nine years and the situation remains unchanged. The aggression has continued for 10 months and the Council is unable to end it. Seventy-five years after the establishment of the United Nations, it is high time to implement genuine Security Council reform, as proposed by the Group of African States, pursuant to the Ezulwini Consensus and the Sirte declaration. The report of the Secretary-General (S/2020/41) on the United Nations Support Mission in Libya was published a few days ago. It reveals the extent of the violations and crimes committed by Haftar and his supporters.”
2020-01-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8710 (2020) · source
“The resilience of Tripoli today is a symbol not only of the courage and determination of the Libyan people, but also of the people of the entire region and their determination to uphold the civil State in the face of those who seek to offer them only two options: either to be subjected to tyranny or face destruction. Countries that exacerbate our crisis today fear our independent decisions. They know that because of its geographic location and resources, Libya is poised to play a key role at the economic, political and security levels. That is why they do not want Libya to be stable and prosperous; rather, those countries seek prosperity and stability at home, while they kill our children and destroy our country.”
2020-01-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8710 (2020) · source
“In February 2011, when Libyans took to the streets to bring revolution to their country and, together with other peoples of the region, to demand their legitimate rights to change and freedoms, the Council adopted resolution 1973 (2011), under Chapter VII, calling for the protection of civilians as its principal priority. Since then, that resolution has been exploited by certain parties to destroy the country, export crises elsewhere and settle scores with the aim of controlling the country and pillaging its wealth. The aggression against Tripoli is nothing but another attempt to create chaos and fuel the conflict, thereby making it ever more difficult to return to where we were before. Some take advantage of those who are greedy for power.”
2020-01-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8710 (2020) · source
“I am speaking on behalf of the people of Libya and many peoples of the region at a critical juncture in the crisis in my country. They are currently angry and distrustful of the international community — sentiments that have been ongoing for decades now. In response to their suffering, killing, displacement and destruction, they have been met with only silence or statements of condemnation. Those people are tired of seeing the aggressor and the oppressed placed on the same footing while the perpetrator is always unknown. The conflict and aggression in my country and against its capital have not arisen in a vacuum; they are the result of years of systemic interventions and proxy wars.”
2020-01-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8710 (2020) · source
“Mr. Elsonni (Libya) (spoke in Arabic): It is a pleasure for me to congratulate Viet Nam on its election to the Security Council, as well as to congratulate you, Mr. President, on your succession to the presidency of the Council for this month. We also welcome Tunisia, the Niger, Estonia and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines on their election to the Council. We further thank Mr. Ghassan Salamé and Mr. Mathias Licharz for their briefings to the Council. I apologize in advance if my statement is a little long today, but I think that the situation in my country deserves an in-depth explanation. Allow me to begin by honouring the memory of all innocent Libyans who have fallen and all martyrs who have fought against terrorism and tyranny over the past nine years.”
2020-01-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8710 (2020) · source