UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 8 (Xinhua) -- The UN Security Council on Tuesday welcomed an agreement between rival parties in Libya aimed at holding parliamentary and presidential elections within two years.
"This agreement represents an important step toward delivering free, fair, transparent and inclusive national elections and advancing the unification of Libya's institutions to fulfil the aspirations of the Libyan people," the Security Council members said in a press statement.
The council members commended the Libyan parties for their constructive engagement, underlined the importance of this agreement being supported by all Libyan stakeholders, and encouraged them to work toward its implementation, the statement said.
Since the 2011 fall of Muammar Gaddafi, Libya has been split between the UN-recognized Government of National Unity in Tripoli and the eastern administration backed by the Libyan National Army.
The agreement, facilitated by the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), was signed on Aug. 30 by Libya's "4+4" Committee, which comprises four members representing Tripoli and four representing eastern Libya.
In the press statement, the members of the Security Council reaffirmed their strong commitment to the central role of the United Nations in facilitating an inclusive Libyan-led and Libyan-owned political process.
They also reiterated their full support for UNSMIL and the UN secretary-general's special representative for Libya, Hanna Tetteh. ■
