During the plenary session in the European Parliament in Strasbourg (15-18 April 2019), MEPs debate on the situation in Libya with Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. Statements by Federica MOGHERINI, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy / Vice-President of the EC, Cristian Dan PREDA (EPP, RO), Elena VALENCIANO (S&D, ES), Charles TANNOCK (ECR, UK), Barbara SPINELLI (GUE/NGL, IT) and Barbara LOCHBIHLER (Greens/EFA, DE).

Strasbourg

debate

plenary session

EU - Libya (T)

VALENCIANO, Elena (S&D, ES)

SPINELLI, Barbara (GUE/NGL, IT)

LOCHBIHLER, Barbara (Greens/EFA, DE)

PREDA, Cristian Dan (EPP, RO)

MOGHERINI, Federica (IT, EC)

TANNOCK, Timothy Charles Ayrton (ECR, UK)

Situation in Libya: extracts from the debate

Chair of the Plenary session gives the floor to Federica Mogherini

SOUNDBITE (English), Federica MOGHERINI, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy / Vice-President of the EC, <p>The offensive against Tripoli has been, is still, an attack against hope. An attack against the concrete perspective of achieving peace in Libya. And we have seen this happen before: when peace becomes a real possibility, concrete, possible, it is then that also we see that the resistance against peace got stronger and more evident.</p>

SOUNDBITE (English), Federica MOGHERINI, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy / Vice-President of the EC, First, to affirm the need to open humanitarian corridors as a matter of urgency and fully respect humanitarian international law. Second, to establish an immediate cease-fire that I am sure the UN are ready to negotiate. Third, to go back to the political track with the holding of the national conference as soon as possible to give Libyans, the Libyan people, men and women of all generations of all cities and in the countryside of the country, the chance to outline the common way forward. These are the three elements on which I am sure, for sure the European Union, for sure the United Nations, but I am sure also the rest of the international community, would be ready to support and accompany the Libyan people.

SOUNDBITE (English), Federica MOGHERINI, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy / Vice-President of the EC, I know that some in Europe perceive it as a growing threat of growing flows but it represents, first and foremost, also a threat to the lives of those migrants and refugees that are trapped in Libya and whose life is more at risk than others and for which we have been trying with the UN agencies to work to try and save lives, and to try and empty the detention centers. The military offensive is also making this work more difficult.

SOUNDBITE (French), Cristian Dan PREDA (EPP, RO), I fully support what you have just said, the only way is a negotiated solution, we should exclude a military way. We need to put pressure on Haftar to put down arms.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Elena VALENCIANO (S&amp;D, ES), Libya is so close to us that our main objective should be to keep unity and speak with a single voice, supporting the UN special envoy, the African Union and the Arab Union in their efforts to build up a stable and trustful scenario for a political agreement to take place. 

SOUNDBITE (English), Charles TANNOCK (ECR, UK), <p>To those who&rsquo;ve seen in General Haftar a potential strongman that could consolidate power and bring order to that chaotic country, I would urge them to pay attention to the various reports in the public domain that question such simple assertions. Significant military and political opposition remains in his way, and there is little evidence to suggest that he could easily hold the country together in the longer term.</p>

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Barbara SPINELLI (GUE/NGL, IT), The Mediterranean is the only way to escape, to block it is a crime against humanity. The Commission should give the immediate order to stop the returns of migrants to even more dangerous countries, evacuations of war zones should be facilitated via humanitarian corridors and water and food should reach the detained migrants. 

SOUNDBITE (English), Barbara LOCHBIHLER (Greens/EFA, DE), It's a disgrace that by cooperating with the Libyan Coastguard the EU is returning refugees to Libya where terrible treatment awaits for them.