earlier announcement of National Salvation Government, Khalifa Ghweil urges his ministers not to stand down. | |||||
Middle East Online | |||||
TRIPOLI
- Efforts by Libya's UN-backed unity government to assert its control
over the capital were thrown into chaos Wednesday as the head of a rival
Tripoli-based authority backed away from ceding power.
Contradicting
an earlier announcement that his so-called National Salvation
Government was ready to step aside, Tripoli's unrecognised Prime
Minister Khalifa Ghweil urged his ministers not to stand down.
He threatened to prosecute anyone working with the new government.
"Given
the requirements of public interest... you are requested to continue
your mission in accordance with the law," Ghweil said in a statement.
The reason for the U-turn was not immediately clear but could suggest a split within the Tripoli authority.
There
was no immediate reaction from the UN-sponsored administration of prime
minister-designate Fayez al-Sarraj, which until the about-face had
appeared to be cementing its control over the country's finances and
institutions.
Ghweil's administration seized control of
Tripoli in mid-2014 with the support of powerful militia groups,
forcing a government backed by Libya's internationally recognised
parliament to flee to the country's far east.
An
attempt by his authority to hold on to power in the capital could spark
fresh unrest in a country already struggling to emerge from five years
of violence since the 2011 overthrow of Moamer Gathafi.
Sarraj's Government of National Accord was created under a power-sharing deal agreed by rival lawmakers in December.
He
arrived in Tripoli under escort by sea last week, established his
headquarters at a naval base and had been moving to shore up his
authority.
The international community has pleaded with
Libya's warring sides to stand behind the unity government, which is
seen as vital to tackling a jihadist expansion and rampant people
smuggling in the North African state.
But it has not
yet been endorsed by the administration based in the far east, which has
long claimed international legitimacy because it was appointed by the
parliament elected in the last polls in 2014.
And the
Tripoli authority's reversal will be seen as a major setback, after it
had just on Tuesday issued a statement "ceasing the activities entrusted
to us as an executive power" in order to "prevent bloodshed and
divisions".
Sarraj's GNA had earlier on Wednesday
ordered all government "ministries and institutions and committees" to
respect its authority and use its logo.
It also ordered
the Central Bank and the Audit Bureau to freeze all state accounts
immediately, except for salary payments to government employees.
UN
envoy Martin Kobler had earlier welcomed the Tripoli authority's
willingness to hand over, though he had warned that "deeds must follow
words".
Kobler held talks with Sarraj on Tuesday after
arriving for his first visit to Tripoli since the new government arrived
in the capital.
Earlier Wednesday Italian Foreign
Minister Paolo Gentiloni had said recent developments were "encouraging"
in moving towards a "united, stable and secure Libya".
"I
hope that the spirit of compromise prevails on all parties involved,"
he said in a statement, offering the full support of Italy, the former
colonial power in Libya, to the new government.
Kobler
had praised the "courage and determination" of the unity government and
said the UN was ready to provide "all the support needed" towards an
"immediate and peaceful handover of power".
The new
administration had in recent days been broadening its support, winning
the backing of the Libyan Investment Authority, the National Oil
Corporation and the Central Bank.
Arturo Varvelli, a
Libya specialist at the Milan-based Institute for the Study of
International Politics, said the Central Bank's support was vital for
Sarraj as it allows his government to "grant or stop funding... various
militias".
With control of public finances, the flow of funds "can be turned on and off like a tap", he said.
Western
governments are deeply concerned that Libya's disarray has allowed the
jihadist Islamic State group to gain an important foothold in the
country, but have said a foreign intervention can only take place at the
request of a unity gove
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Thursday, 7 April 2016
Divisions hamper mission of Sarraj in Libya
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