Debate on the situation on Libya, during the EP plenary session in Strasbourg. Strasbourg by Bert KOENDERS, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, Mariya GABRIEL (EPP, BG), Victor BOSTINARU (S&D, RO), Pavel TELICKA (ALDE, CZ), Javier COUSO PERMUY (GUE/NGL, ES), Barbara LOCHBIHLER (Greens/EFA, DE) and Elmar BROK (EPP, DE).

Strasbourg

debate

EU - Libya (T)

BROK, Elmar (EPP, DE)

LOCHBIHLER, Barbara (Greens/EFA, DE)

COUSO PERMUY, Javier (GUE/NGL, ES)

TELIČKA, Pavel (ALDE, CZ)

GABRIEL, Mariya (EPP, BG, EC)

BOŞTINARU, Victor (S&D, RO)

KOENDERS, Bert (NL)

Situation in Libya : extracts from the debate

SOUNDBITE (English), Bert KOENDERS, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, We hope and expect that Libyan decision makers will realise that there is no alternative to a Unity government representing all the regions and all the social and political groups. And that only such a government will give real hope to the Libyans that their country can finally tackle hopefully once and for all at the spread of terrorism, an economy on the brink and threats to Libya's integrity and development. When the unity government is endorsed by Parliament priority will be the security of the population and fight against Daesh.

SOUNDBITE (English), Bert KOENDERS, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, Member states have agreed to boast the cell and to also to re-enforce civilian planning capacity through a reactivated and expanded EU BAM mission. It should become operational in the next few weeks, it will provide capacity on a broad spectrum of police support including counter terrorism, customs, border security and migration.

SOUNDBITE (English), Bert KOENDERS, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, The democratic transition is a complicated and difficult process, but the UN brokered Libyan political agreement has made important progress and deserves our continued support. The alternative is simply chaos, the country on the brink of economic catastrophy and all this can still be avoided. It is our duty as Libyan neighbours to continue the UN process and the EUBAM and we are fully committed doing exactly that.

SOUNDBITE (French), Mariya GABRIEL (EPP, BG), In the short and medium term the role of the EU and the international community is going to have to be required on different fronts, once the government has been re-established. The appointments of the assistance to help manage border or new surveillance missions, these must be put in place rapidly. Apart from those priorities we must try and mobilize international community towards reconstruction, because there is no point having a peace process if the country falls apart, the government will have no power.

SOUNDBITE (English), Victor BO&#350;TINARU (S&amp;D, RO), The humanitarian situation is disastrous and needs immediate relief. Daesh has managed to put down the roots, it used to have only a few hundred fighters on the ground, now there seem to be thousands. And it is easy to understand what it means in terms of eradicating them. A political solution with a government of national accords is essential and imperative and we call upon the House of Representatives to show a spirit of compromise and to endorse a new list of ministers once it is proposed, we hope in the coming hours.

SOUNDBITE (English), Pavel TELI&#268;KA (ALDE, CZ), The whole Sahara region is in crisis. It is also needs to be said, it is one of the highest concentration of arms every really on the territory in the region. It is also a matter of fact that human trafficking has been present for years and is intensifying. The situation of the people but also of minorities and migrants is just devastating, it is tragic. So it is high time that we are able to arrive in an agreement, but of course we need that agreement to be supportive.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Javier COUSO PERMUY (GUE/NGL, ES), We want to see a stop to all arms exports, to all militia financing, particular through illegal oil sales and we need to make an investigation in the violation of the Security Council resolution 1970.

SOUNDBITE (German), Barbara LOCHBIHLER (Greens/EFA, DE), It is an urgent requirement that the EU should put efforts to create a unity government in Libya and the various have to show that they have the power to lead the country and to bring forward a government, there is no alternative to this.

SOUNDBITE (German), Barbara LOCHBIHLER (Greens/EFA, DE), The international community doesn't wish to see the creation of a second Syria and a future government must be provided with humanitarian aid and must help to strengthen civil society organisations and those who are responsible for these grave violations of human rights must be brought before International justice.

SOUNDBITE (German), Elmar BROK (EPP, DE), Here we need to provide military support because if they get their hands on the oil fields in Algeria, this is going to be a far more serious situation than we have at the moment or even as we are seeing in Syria and Iraq and that's why it should be a priority.