An official delegation from the United States, headed by the US Special Envoy to Libya, Richard Norland, discussed with Khalifa Haftar ways to advance the political process toward elections and the efforts of the UN envoy Abdoulaye Bathily in this regard.
Haftar met Tuesday with the US delegation, including Deputy Assistant Secretary Joshua Harris, and US embassy Chargé d’Affaires Jeremy Berndt, in his office in Benghazi, and they stressed during the meeting the importance of coordination and cooperation between the two parties in combating terrorism and extremism, and praised the role of Haftar’s forces “in preserving security and stability in Libya and its positive impact on the countries of the region in general,” according to what was reported by the Information Office by Haftar's General Command.
It added that Haftar's discussions with the US delegation also touched on the importance of advancing the political process in Libya to reach the stage of holding simultaneous presidential and parliamentary elections, and the need for the United Nations Mission in Libya to make more balanced and effective efforts to achieve the aspirations and hopes of the Libyan people.
The US Embassy in Libya said they had discussed the importance of advancing the political process to allow the Libyan people to elect their leaders, expressed appreciation for the work of the 6+6 committee and emphasized the need for institutional stakeholders to come together to address the remaining politically contested issues, including the formation of a caretaker government.
"They also discussed the importance for Libyan leaders from all sides to work together to ensure a conducive environment for Libyans to freely choose their representatives as Libya prepares for the upcoming municipal elections." The US embassy said.
