UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Wednesday called for efforts to ensure fair, inclusive and transparent elections in Libya.

There is only one month left before the elections. China supports the parties in Libya to hold as scheduled simultaneously the presidential and parliamentary elections that are fair, inclusive, and transparent in order to usher in a new phase of national development, said Dai Bing, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations.

"All parties in Libya should put the interests of the country and people first, commit to dialogue and consultation, strengthen unity and cooperation, and resolve differences that may arise during the election process through peaceful means so as to avoid affecting the hard-won peaceful situation," he told the Security Council.

Libya has made great efforts to prepare for the elections and has made noticeable progress. However, to hold the two elections on schedule, much remains to be done. China encourages the UN Support Mission in Libya to continue, in line with its mandate, to provide the necessary support for the elections. The international community should effectively respect Libya's sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity, and abide by the principle of non-interference in internal affairs, he said.

The presence of foreign forces and mercenaries in Libya is one of the main obstacles to achieving durable peace and stability in the country. In October this year, the 5+5 Joint Military Commission agreed on an action plan for the full withdrawal of foreign forces and mercenaries, reflecting the unanimous will of all parties and people of Libya. China expects progress in the implementation of the action plan as soon as possible, said Dai.

All countries with forces in Libya should cooperate actively in this regard. There can be no exceptions. The departure of foreign forces and mercenaries should avoid a negative impact on the security situation in surrounding areas, including the Sahel. China welcomes the strengthening of communication between Libya and its neighbors in this regard, including the launch of the quadripartite border management mechanism between Libya, Sudan, Chad, and Niger, he said.

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the livelihoods issue in Libya. In the implementation of the Security Council sanctions against Libya, caution should be exercised to avoid a negative impact on the country's economy and people's well-being. The Security Council should actively explore effective ways to use Libya's frozen assets for the country's reconstruction and respond in an appropriate manner to the legitimate concerns of Libya with regards to its losses as a result of the frozen assets, he said. Enditem

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