The head of the Libyan elders’ national reconciliation council, Sheikh Mohammed Al-Mubasher, has called on the parties to the political conflict to make concessions for the sake of the country.
“Everyone is in the same boat, and it is necessary to search for a way to reach safety,” he said in an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat.
Asked about the role of mediators in the ongoing Libyan conflict, Al-Mubasher noted that as the political dispute was handed over to the UN mission, local mediators have lost many elements of power and influence.
He explained: “The nature of the conflict in Libya is political, as we know, and therefore the crisis talks were handed over to the UN mission, and here the local reformers or social mediators lost many of the elements of power they relied on; including their influence on the armed parties. As Libyans lost confidence in themselves, only a very limited role is left for these mediators to deal with political issues.”
Regarding his assessment of the strategic vision of the reconciliation plan recently launched by the Presidential Council, Al-Mubasher said: “The strategy has been prepared by a number of academics and research centers, and is generally good, but its implementation or not depends on the powers of the Presidential Council and its ability to unify the country.”
The head of the Libyan elders’ national reconciliation council said that the plan, which was launched by the Presidential Council to resolve the political deadlock, should have been preceded by pragmatic steps, including listening to the positions of the different sides to develop a realistic and acceptable solution.
Commenting on foreign initiatives to resolve the crisis in the country, Al-Mubasher emphasized that those “do not stem from a real local Libyan conviction and will.”
He expressed his belief that all “conferences that take place abroad, and do not originate in Libya, are doomed to fail unless the solution is imposed by force through Security Council resolutions or by huge international pressure.”
The Libyan official said political efforts were not aimed at finding a solution, but rather to manage the crisis.
“There are many international and local interests that control the Libyan conflict, and in my opinion, the international decision to end this conflict has not yet been taken,” he stated.
He added: “There is agreement to manage the conflict, and there is a national will that tries to shorten the time of suffering, but the powerful tools of action remain in the grip of the international community, not in the hands of patriots, unless a very powerful revolution restores national sovereignty. They manage the conflict according to their interests.”
Al-Mubasher also stressed to need to reach national consensus before holding presidential and parliamentary elections.
“The presence of weapons is also one of the factors that can thwart any elections. Even if they are held and receive international recognition, the problem will remain. Therefore, there must be guarantees from all parties to abide by the results,” he stated.
