In a letter on Friday to the Speakers of the US House of Representatives and the Senate, the White House stressed the need for extending national emergency measures on Libya which were declared by the US under Executive Order 13566, pointing out that the situation in the country still poses an extraordinary threat to Washington's national security and foreign policy.
"The situation in Libya continues to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States, and measures are needed to protect against the diversion of assets or other abuses by members of Qadhafi’s family, their associates, and other persons hindering Libyan national reconciliation." The White House said in the letters.
"There was a serious risk that Libyan state assets would be misappropriated by Qadhafi, members of his government, members of his family, or his close associates if those assets were not protected. The foregoing circumstances, the prolonged attacks, and the increased numbers of Libyans seeking refuge in other countries from the attacks caused a deterioration in the security of Libya and posed a serious risk to its stability." The letters add.
The letters said on April 19, 2016, the President signed Executive Order 13726, which expanded the scope of the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13566.
"The President found that the ongoing violence in Libya, including attacks by armed groups against Libyan state facilities, foreign missions in Libya, and critical infrastructure, as well as human rights abuses, violations of the arms embargo imposed by United Nations Security Council Resolution 1970 (2011), and misappropriation of Libya’s natural resources threaten the peace, security, stability, sovereignty, democratic transition, and territorial integrity of Libya, and thereby constitute an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States." It added.
