TRIPOLI, Aug 29 (NNN-XINHUA) — Libyan Prime Minister Abdul-Hamed Dbeibah referred to the recent closure of the country’s oil fields and ports by the eastern-based authorities as a “crime punishable by law”.
Dbeibah made the remarks during a meeting with Stephanie Koury, the deputy special representative of the UN secretary-general for political affairs and officer-in-charge of the UN Support Mission in Libya, according to a statement released by the Libyan government.
“During the meeting, the Prime Minister stressed the importance of cooperation with the United Nations to achieve consensus and overcome current crises, and the need for the international community’s support in this regard,” the statement said.
Dbeibah underscored the seriousness of the closure of the oil fields, stressing the need to hold accountable those who carry out “these shameful acts,” the statement added.
The eastern-based government on Monday announced the closure of all the oil fields and ports under its control, following a decision by the western-based government to replace the Central Bank governor, which was rejected by the eastern side.
Since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, Libya has struggled with fragmentation. The country now is divided between two main rival administrations: the eastern-based government, backed by the House of Representatives, and the western-based government in Tripoli, supported by the Presidency Council. — NNN-XINHUA
