Eastern Libya tribes throw their weight behind Saleh

Amira al-Sharif

Eastern Libya’s tribes have expressed support to the Cairo Declaration and the initiative launched by the eastern Libya parliament speaker Aguila Saleh for resolving the Libyan crisis.

The tribes also backed a bid by Saleh to become the head of the Presidential Council.

Meanwhile, Unite Nations Envoy to Libya Stephanie Williams referred to progress in talks between Libyan rivals.

She said the elections would be held in the Arab state in December as planned.

This came as United Nations Secretary General António Guterres suggested the formation of panel to oversee the implementation of the ceasefire agreement in Libya.

The eastern Libya tribes also rejected any proposals that would not give the residents of Libya’s three regions the right to select their representatives in executive bodies to be formed in the coming period.

During a meeting in Cairo, representatives of the tribes called for the fair distribution of Libyan wealth among its different regions.

The representatives of the tribes also issued a statement following the meeting, in which they called for the exit of all foreign troops from Libya.

They also called for turning the northern eastern city of Sirte as the seat of the next presidential council, the government, and the central bank.

Saleh’s initiative introduces a roadmap for finding a political solution to the Libyan crisis.

The initiative opens the door for holding general and presidential elections and the formation of a presidential council based on unanimity among the representatives of Libya’s three regions.

The presidential council will then appoint a prime minister and those who will represent the three regions.