Madam President, 

I thank Under-Secretary-General DiCarlo For her briefing. I welcome the presence of the Permanent Representative of Libya to this meeting. 

Recently, the uncertainty of the Libyan political process continues to rise. The differences between the parties on important issues, such as the legitimacy of the government, remain difficult to resolve, while clashes broke out in Tripoli, which China is deeply concerned about. We call on all parties in Libya to put the interests of the country and the people first, stay committed to the general direction of political settlement, exercise maximum restraint, refrain from taking any action that may escalate tensions, and maintain the hard-won peace and stability. 

Dialogue and consultations represent the only solution to breaking the political impasse in Libya. The Libyan House of Representatives and the High State Council recently held a second round of dialogue in Cairo, and reached a partial consensus on the basis of the Constitution, which China commends. The transitional phase envisaged by the Libyan political dialogue forum is coming to an end. All parties in Libya should maintain the momentum of dialogue in order to reach a comprehensive consensus on important issues such as the constitutional basis and election timetable as soon as possible, and to create necessary conditions for holding elections and completing political transition. In the long run, the international community, the Security Council in particular, should support parties in Libya in advancing national reconciliation and resolving the deep-seated issues caused by years of turmoil, so as to lay a solid foundation for Libya to achieve long-term stability. China encourages regional organizations such as the AU and the Arab League to play an active role to this end. 

Under the current circumstances, it is essential for UNSMIL to resume its full mandate. China reiterates its support for the Secretary-General, in line with Security Council Resolution 2629, to appoint as soon as possible an African candidate as the Special Representative for Libya. External interference has been a major factor behind the long overdue issue of Libya. The international community should stay committed to the Libyan-led and Libyan-owned principle to provide constructive assistance while refraining from imposing external solutions. 

The ceasefire agreement is the cornerstone of maintaining security and stability in Libya and the region. The 5+5 joint military commission plays an important role in implementing the ceasefire agreement and facilitating the withdrawal of foreign armed forces and mercenaries. The commission’s resumption of its full duties as soon as possible will help all parties maintain coordination and communication and avoid misunderstanding and miscalculations. China supports the deployment of the UNSMIL ceasefire monitoring team in Sirte as soon as possible. 

Oil is Libya’s main source of national income. China has noted some recent developments in Libya’s oil production, and encourages all parties concerned to resolve differences in oil revenue, management, and distribution through dialogue and consultations, restore stable oil production as soon as possible, and create favorable conditions for the normal functioning of the Libyan Government, public service delivery, and the advancement of the political process. In the current geopolitical context, this will also help stabilize the international crude oil market prices. 

Thank you, Madam President.