ZCZC
BCN-23
LIBYA-UN-OIL
Libya’s eastern national oil corporation calls on UN to allow oil exports
TRIPOLI, July 4 (Xinhua) — The Libyan National Oil Corporation of the
eastern-based interim government on Wednesday called on the United Nations to
allow it to export oil, after it took over the oil crescent region from the
eastern-based army.
“We call upon the United Nations and the international community to work
with all the parties to reach reasonable and practical solutions that allow
oil exports,” the corporation said in a statement.
“We affirm our full keenness and endeavor on the legal obligations of Libya
toward companies and countries with whom we have contracts and common
interests,” it added.
The Libyan eastern-based army, led by Gen. Khalifa Haftar, recently took
control of the oil crescent region, which is located some 500 km east of the
capital Tripoli and contains the country’s largest oil ports, after defeating
the militants occupying it.
Shortly after that, the army handed over the region to the National Oil
Corporation of the eastern-based interim government, instead of the Tripoli-
based UN-backed unity government.
Last week, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stressed the “need for
unity of Libyan institutions and the exclusive right of the (Tripoli-based)
National Oil Corporation to export the country’s oil.”
On Monday, the Tripoli-based National Oil Corporation declared the
suspension of operations in Hariga and Zuetina oil ports in the region.
A day earlier, the UN-backed government warned against “negative
repercussions” of suspension of oil exports in the oil crescent region, and
said halting oil exports costs more than 67 million U.S. dollars a day.
Despite signing a UN-sponsored peace agreement by the Libyan political
parties in 2015, Libya remains politically divided between eastern and
western governments, both competing for legitimacy.
Oil-rich Libya has been plagued by insecurity and chaos since the 2011
uprising that toppled former leader Muammar Gaddafi’s regime.
BSS/XINHUA/HR/1448