LONDON, England – Following calls for a ceasefire in Libya, the UK’s minister for the Middle East, James Cleverly, issued a statement, August 21, 2020:
“The UK government welcomes today’s calls for a ceasefire from president of the presidency council Fayez Al-Serraj and Speaker of the House of Representatives Agila Saleh. The Libyan people have been clear: there can be no military solution in Libya.
“Now is the time for external actors, on all sides of the conflict, to match the ambition of the Libyan people and commit to a lasting ceasefire, including through the departure from Libya of all foreign forces and mercenaries.
“We also welcome the call to resume oil production. The blockade only serves to harm the Libyan people, and we must move forward with resuming production in the interests of all Libyans.
“Today’s announcement marks an important step on the road towards sustained peace, security and stability. We commend both sides for their approach, and thank the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) for their leadership facilitating the political process and in building confidence.”