MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the situation in Libya
12.1.2015 - (2014/3018(RSP))
pursuant to Rule 123(2) of the Rules of Procedure
Charles Tannock, Geoffrey Van Orden, Ruža Tomašić, Valdemar Tomaševski, Ryszard Czarnecki on behalf of the ECR Group
See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B8-0011/2015
The European Parliament,
– having regard to its previous resolutions on the situation in Libya, including that of 18 September 2014[1],
– having regard to the joint statement by the governments of France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK and the USA of 11 January 2015,
– having regard to United Nations Security Council resolution 2174, calling for an immediate ceasefire in Libya, inclusive political dialogue, and the transfer of weapons,
– having regard to the statements by the High Representative/Vice-President on the situation in Libya, including that of 10 January 2015,
– having regard to the statement of 15 December 2014 by the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) on the sharp military escalation in Libya,
– having regard to the conclusions of the Foreign Affairs Council of 20 October 2014,
– having regard to Rule 123(2) of its Rules of Procedure,
A. whereas Libya has been plagued by instability and infighting since the fall of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi in 2011;
B. whereas rival militias now control most of the country including the two largest cities, Tripoli and Benghazi; whereas the city of Sirte has become a safe haven for Islamist fighters;
C. whereas since fighting between rival groups intensified in May hundreds of civilians have been killed and hundreds of thousands more have fled their homes; whereas that fighting has intensified even further over recent weeks;
D. whereas despite national parliamentary elections in June 2014, the aspirations of the Libyan people born out of the fall of Colonel Gaddafi have been thwarted by political division and violence; whereas rival governments and parliaments have been operating in Tripoli and Tobruk for several months;
E. whereas on 6 November 2014 the Supreme Constitutional Court in Tripoli ruled that the June elections were unconstitutional and that the parliament and government based in Tobruk which resulted from that vote should be dissolved;
F. whereas recent violence in Libya, including through the use of airstrikes, is compounding the suffering of the Libyan people;
G. whereas civilians have made up the overwhelming majority of those affected by the upsurge in violence; whereas those committing violent acts appear to have little or no regard for the likely impact of their actions on innocent parties;
H. whereas the violence, division, and political stagnation have led to a general deterioration of living conditions in Libya;
I. whereas there is an urgent need to restore credibility to the political process in Libya in order to bring the fighting to an end;
J. whereas a new round of political dialogue aimed at resolving the ongoing conflict is scheduled to take place in Geneva within days;
K. whereas the continued violence and instability in Libya increases the threat from terrorist groups and if unchecked could exacerbate an already volatile situation in the wider region;
L. whereas in December 2014 it was reported that Islamic State militants have set up training camps in eastern Libya;
M. whereas in 2014 the Italian Navy rescued tens of thousands of people heading towards Europe from North Africa in unsuitable, overcrowded boats; whereas in November 2014 it was reported that coastguards in Tripoli had stopped the patrols intended to prevent migrants from trying to cross the Mediterranean;
N. whereas attacks in Libya on Coptic Christians from Egypt have increased in recent weeks, including the kidnapping of 13 workers in Sirte on 3 January 2015;
O. whereas the deteriorating security situation in Tripoli has led to the temporary relocation of staff working for the EUBAM and EUDEL missions to Tunis and Brussels;
1. Expresses growing concern at the worsening situation in Libya, the loss of life, and the impact on the thousands who have been forced to flee their homes to escape the violence;
2. Deplores the ongoing violence and human rights abuses committed across Libya by all sides and calls for those responsible to be prosecuted in accordance with international law;
3. Calls on all sides involved in the violence to commit to an unconditional ceasefire and to engage without precondition with the efforts of the United Nations Special Representative for Libya, Bernardino León, aimed at bringing the rival groups together in meaningful peace talks;
4. Welcomes the fact that a new round of political dialogue is scheduled to take place in Geneva within days, and urges all sides to engage constructively in the process with a shared aim of bringing conflict to an end;
5. Applauds the tireless efforts of the United Nations Special Representative for Libya, Bernardino León, in brokering this political dialogue;
6. Shares the concerns of Libya’s neighbours that continuing violence may spill over into those countries which border it, further destabilising the region and fuelling the spread of terrorism; further believes that the violence in Libya poses a direct threat to the European Union;
7. Condemns the tactics of those individuals and groups in Libya who are consciously undermining the efforts of the United Nations and other international organisations to achieve peace, stability, and reconciliation in the country;
8. Believes that only political dialogue can peacefully resolve the crisis in Libya and bring the violence to an end;
9. Supports the implementation of restrictive measures against those perpetrating violence in Libya, as set out in UN Security Council resolution 2174;
10. Expresses grave concern at the plight of refugees fleeing from Libya to Europe in unsafe, overcrowded boats; further regrets that hundreds of people have died making the crossing over recent months;
11. Believes that the European Union must help the Libyan people fulfil their ambition to establish a democratic, stable and prosperous state, in line with the commitments set out in its neighbourhood policies for the southern Mediterranean;
12. Welcomes the actions taken by the United Nations Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee to list Ansar Al Sharia Benghazi (AAS-B) and Ansar Al Sharia Derna (AAS-D), groups which have been responsible for acts of terror in Libya, including bomb attacks, kidnappings, and murder;
13. Believes that such action sends a strong and clear message from the international community that it will take action against extremist groups which threaten peace and security in Libya;
14. Strongly condemns the recent attacks on and kidnappings of Coptic Christian workers in Libya, and calls for those being held to be released immediately;
15. Believes that the recent escalation in violence is a direct attempt to undermine efforts aimed at securing peace and political reconciliation;
16. Reminds those engaged in military activity that their actions are in violation of UN Security Council resolution 2174 of 2014, and that those who threaten Libya’s peace, stability or security will face targeted sanctions;
17. Calls on all regional actors, including the Arab League and the African Union, to work with other international organisations to bring an end to the violence in Libya and help build a stable, inclusive and democratic country;
18. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the EEAS, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission, the parliaments and governments of the Member States, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, the African Union and the Arab League.
- [1] Texts adopted, P8_TA(2014)0028.