France, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the United States have issued a joint statement demanding keeping the Libyan vital oil resources, facilities and terminals under the exclusive control of the legitimate National Oil Corporation and the sole oversight of the “Government of National Accord (GNA.)”
“We are deeply concerned about the announcement that the Ras Lanuf and Sidra oil fields and facilities will be transferred to the control of an entity other than the legitimate National Oil Corporation. Libya’s oil facilities, production, and revenues belong to the Libyan people.” The statement remarked on Wednesday.
“UN Security Council Resolution 2362 (2017) condemns attempts to illicitly export petroleum, including crude oil and refined petroleum products, from Libya by parallel institutions which are not acting under the authority of the GNA.” Reads the statement.
The statement explained as well that any attempts to circumvent the UN Security Council’s Libya sanctions regime will cause deep harm to Libya’s economy, exacerbate its humanitarian crisis, and undermine its broader stability, indicating that the international community will hold those who undermine Libya’s peace, security, and stability to account.
The western countries’ statement also urged all armed actors to cease hostilities and withdraw immediately from oil installations without conditions before further damage occurs in the oil crescent region.
The four-country statement said the legitimate NOC must be allowed again to take up unhindered work on behalf of the Libyan people, to repair infrastructure damaged after the attack by forces under the direction of Ibrahim Jodran, and to restore the oil exports and production disrupted by that attack.
