The National Accord Bloc of the High Council of State (HCS) announced on Monday its denunciation of the statements of US Ambassador Richard Norlad on National Independence Day.
The bloc expressed – in a statement – its condemnation of “the crude statements of the American ambassador, which are outside diplomatic decorum, and which express arrogance in dealing with Libyan sovereign institutions.”
The National Accord Bloc made clear that interfering in Libyan political affairs with inappropriate statements is completely unacceptable.
It considered that this interference, which infringes on Libyan sovereignty on behalf of the interests of these countries, was and remains the most important cause of the conflict and its continuation to this day.
The bloc said: “The falsity of your claim to adopt the demands of the Libyan people and your bias toward them has been exposed, and this was clearly demonstrated by your rejection of the agreements that were reached between the House of Representatives and the High Council of State on more than one occasion, because they were of pure Libyan will and far from the calculations of your interests.”
The bloc stated: “Your government’s full involvement in war crimes and the extermination of thousands of children, women and civilians in Gaza does not qualify you at all to talk about democracy, universal values, and human rights. It makes you lose your role as an honest mediator in the Libyan crisis and puts your credibility at stake.”
US envoy to Libya, ambassador Richard Norland, has congratulated Libya on its Independence Day, noting “with regret that two years have passed since the postponement of elections scheduled for 24 December 2021.”
Norland said his country “shares the disappointment of the Libyan people that key Libyan actors have not yet found a way to heed popular demands and reach a compromise to enable free and fair elections giving the entire nation the right to choose its own leaders.”
“We believe now is the time for these actors to put aside differences and come together for the good of the country. We urge them all to accept SRSG Abdoulaye Bathily’s invitation to participate in talks in a spirit of goodwill and make the necessary but difficult compromises to reach consensus and advance the political process,” Norland stated.
“The Libyan people have suffered terribly in the wake of the devastating flooding that hit eastern Libya. The solidarity they demonstrated was a clear reminder that Libyans remain united. We urge Libyan leaders to show similar unity of purpose and fulfill their responsibilities to the Libyan people in order to deliver long-term stability, security, and prosperity,” he added.