War-torn Libya's parliament rejected any "interference" in its work, its speaker told the United Nations envoy Stephanie Williams on Monday after she had offered to mediate in a push for elections as the country found itself torn between two prime ministers.
Williams had on Friday offered to host talks between the eastern-based legislature and institutions in the western capital Tripoli in a push for long-delayed polls.
She has also warned against an "escalation" after parliament appointed a new premier in a bid to oust the head of the unity government Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, who has vowed only to hand power to an elected administration.
Meeting Williams on Monday, parliament speaker Aguila Saleh "rejected any interference in the decisions of the House of Representatives and stressed that they are not subject to ratification by anyone."
In a statement on the parliament's website, he stressed that "the appointment of a new government" was legal as that of Dbeibah had expired.
Construction tycoon Dbeibah was appointed following a landmark 2020 cease-fire with a mandate to lead the country to Dec. 24 elections.
Sharp divisions over the legal and constitutional basis of the elections and the presence of controversial candidates – including both Saleh and Dbeibah – led to the vote being scrapped.
But Saleh has insisted that his rival's mandate is up, and pushed forward with appointing ex-interior minister Fathi Bashagha to head a new government.
In order to overcome the impasse and push for elections, Williams on Friday proposed a joint committee of members of the parliament and the High Council of State, a Tripoli-based upper house, to create "a consensual constitutional basis" for polls.
She tweeted Monday that she and Saleh had discussed the idea "in detail" and that she was looking forward to receiving nominations of delegates from both sides "in the coming days."
"We agreed that holding elections in a timely manner with a sound constitutional basis constitutes the best way forward, and reflects the genuine aspirations of the Libyan people, particularly the 2.8 million who registered to vote," she said.
She also reiterated calls for calm and "the importance of cooperation between Libyan institutions for the sake of lasting stability."
High Council of State head Khalid al-Mishri welcomed her offer providing it did not imply "interference."
But in a letter to Williams on Sunday, 93 lawmakers rejected her offer as "sudden and unjustified."
The struggle over control of Libya's government after the collapse of a scheduled election in December threatens to return the country to conflict and division that have prevailed for much of the period since a NATO-backed revolution in 2011.
Parliament's position is backed by the eastern-based putschist Gen. Khalifa Haftar who waged a 14-month war on Tripoli from 2019 to 2020. Armed factions in the capital and western regions appear divided over the crisis, with some saying on Tuesday they opposed parliament's move to install a new government.
Bashagha, a former interior minister, said he was committed to holding elections within the time frame next year set out by parliament, adding that he wanted to achieve agreement between rival political institutions on the issue.
Disputes over basic rules for the election led to the collapse of the planned vote in December.
On Monday, Williams also underlined that Libyan oil needs to flow again following a shutdown at two oil fields by "gangs.”
"I am following with concern reports of closure of oil fields and suspension of some civilian flights," Williams wrote on Twitter.
"Blocking oil production deprives all Libyans from their major source of revenue. The oil blockade should be lifted," she added.
Libya's National Oil Corporation (NOC) on Sunday said that production at the Sharara and al-Feel fields, in southwestern Libya, had been shut down by "gangs," forcing production to decrease by 330,000 barrels per day.
This leads to a loss of more than 160 million Libyan dinars daily ($34.6 million), NOC added.
Oil is the North African nation's main source of income, but its crude oil production is repeatedly halted due to violence between various warlords that has been ongoing for decades.
