TRIPOLI: The United Nations mission in Libya on Wednesday announced a compromise between the North African country’s rival powers aimed at resolving a crisis over its central bank.
“Following a new round of consultations facilitated by the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) regarding the crisis at the Central Bank of Libya, representatives from the House of Representatives and the High Council of State reached compromise on appointing new leadership for the bank,” the mission said in a statement.
It said parliament and the High Council of State, which acts as a senate, initialled an agreement “on the procedures, criteria, and timelines for appointing a Governor, Deputy Governor, and Board of Directors” for the bank.
A signing ceremony is set take place Thursday, it said.
Libya is split between the UN-recognized government led by Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah, and the rival administration in the east backed by military strongman Khalifa Haftar.
The country is struggling to recover from years of conflict after the 2011 NATO-backed uprising that overthrew longtime dictator Muammar Qaddafi.
Tensions had been rising since early August when a group of men — some armed — laid siege to the bank demanding the removal of governor Seddik Al-Kabir, who later told the Financial Times he had fled the country.
On August 18, the central bank announced suspension of all operations following the abduction of its information technology chief. He was eventually released.
The UN has held talks with the rival powers to find a way out of the bank crisis which has threatened Libya’s vital oil income.
Kabir, in office since 2012, had been criticized for his management of oil revenues and budget, considered to be too favorable to Haftar.
Most of Libya’s revenue comes from its oil resources, with the country’s production mainly in the east.
Output recently returned to 1.2 million barrels per day, whereas under Qaddafi it was between 1.5 million bpd and 1.6 million bpd.
UN announces deal in Libya central bank crisis
https://arab.news/gh7ek
UN announces deal in Libya central bank crisis
- A signing ceremony is set take place Thursday
- On August 18, the central bank announced suspension of all operations following the abduction of its information technology chief
US military operations ‘ahead of schedule,’ Iranian leaders want to talk: Trump
- Trump also said Sunday that 48 Iranian leaders have been killed in the US-Israeli bombardments
- Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said a leadership council had temporarily assumed duties
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that Iran’s new leadership wants to talk to him and that he has agreed, according to an interview with the Atlantic magazine.
“They want to talk, and I have agreed to talk, so I will be talking to them. They should have done it sooner. They should have given what was very practical and easy to do sooner. They waited too long,” Trump said in the interview from his Florida residence. Trump did not specify who he would be speaking with or say whether it would occur on Sunday or Monday.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said a leadership council composed of himself, the judiciary head and a member of the powerful Guardians Council had temporarily assumed the duties of supreme leader following the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Trump said some of the people who were involved in recent talks with the US are no longer alive.
“Most of those people are gone. Some of the people we were dealing with are gone, because that was a big — that was a big hit,” he was quoted as saying in the interview with Atlantic staff writer Michael Scherer. “They should have done it sooner, Michael. They could have made a deal. They should’ve done it sooner. They played too cute.”
Offensive moving ‘ahead of schedule’
Trump also said Sunday that 48 Iranian leaders have been killed in the US-Israeli bombardments of the country and that the offensive is “very positive.”
“Nobody can believe the success we’re having, 48 leaders are gone in one shot. And it’s moving along rapidly,” Trump was quoted as saying in an interview by Fox News.
Trump claimed overall success in the war, which was launched Saturday with the goal of removing Iran’s leadership and destroying its military. Iran has confirmed the death of its supreme leader, Ali Khamenei.
“We’re doing our job not just for us but for the world. And everything is ahead of schedule,” Trump was quoted as saying in a separate interview with CNBC.
“Things are evolving in a very positive way right now, a very positive way,” he said.
The interviews were conducted before the US military for the first time announced casualties in the war: three unidentified service members killed, five seriously wounded and several others more lightly injured.
Trump announced Sunday that the US military was sinking Iran’s Navy, having destroyed nine Iranian warships so far and “going after the rest.”
Trump made the announcement in a social media post as the Pentagon intensified its bombings of Iran’s military, deploying B-2 stealth bombers from the US to strike at hardened, underground Iranian missile facilities with 2,000-lb bombs.
US strikes also pummeled Iran’s naval headquarters, largely destroying it, Trump said.
