Address at high-level meeting about Libya

Thank you Mr. President.

Let me first commend you and your co-chair, Prime Minister Cameron, for convening us at this crucial moment. I am also very glad that we have the leader of the Transitional Council of Libya with us in this gathering. Norway sees the NTC as the legitimate governing authority of Libya and looks forward to working with you.

At this critical juncture, the focus must be on winning the peace.

Let me emphasise three main points as we enter the peacebuilding phase.

First, the Libyans must own and lead the process. It is of paramount importance that the coming political process in Libya is genuinely inclusive. Mr. Jalil: We warmly welcome the firm commitment of the NTC to democracy and the rule of law. Knowing how demanding post-war transitions are, we encourage you to stay firmly on this track and we offer our support in achieving these noble goals.

Secondly, I want to emphasise the need for a continued role of the UN in order to maintain a broad international consensus. We encourage the members of the Security Council to work closely with Libya’s new authorities to shape the future international support to Libya. The rest of us must show discipline and adapt our support accordingly.

Thirdly, it is of crucial importance that Libya again finds its place in the region. Libya’s attendance at the League of Arab States’ meeting last weekend was a welcome step. Libya is also an African state. I encourage the new Libyan authorities, the African Union, and the rest of us to help develop strong partnerships between Libya and Libya’s neighbours. I come here directly from talks with President Jacob Zuma of South Africa. While I strongly encouraged him to play a constructive role, I was also reminded of the deep controversies that remain on the African continent regarding Libya. To overcome this, we need will and dedication from all parties involved.

Mr. President,

Norway stands ready to help Libya in the days, months and years to come. We have offered our assistance in the area of managing oil revenues in a transparent and sustainable manner. Furthermore, I have requested the unfreezing of 370 million USD that Libya holds in Norwegian accounts.

Currently acting as a co-chair of the Contact Group for Libya, Norway believes that we should wind up the work of this particular framework and build an international support mechanism tailored for the post-conflict phase. We have agreed with colleagues to invite a high-level meeting to be held in New York on the 20th of September to begin this process.