Ambassador Cherith Norman Chalet
U.S. Representative for UN Management and Reform
U.S. Mission to the United Nations
New York City
July 29, 2019
AS DELIVERED
Thank you, Mr. President. My remarks will be brief as well as we look forward to discussing these issues in consultations. But I wanted to thank Special Representative Salamé for your briefing to the Security Council today and for the serious and pressing issues you have raised.
We continue to support your leadership as you work to create the conditions for resumption of the UN political process.
As you highlighted, continued fighting in Tripoli – now in its fourth month – is creating opportunities for terrorists to regroup, threatening the stability of Libya’s oil production, and fueling a worsening humanitarian situation.
We have called for a ceasefire, and urged the prompt return to a UN-mediated political process. And we call on all sides to work constructively with you, Special Representative Salamé, and UNSMIL to achieve a long overdue political solution to this conflict.
As we have said repeatedly in this chamber, lasting peace and stability in Libya will only come through a political solution.
Finally Mr. President, we do want to express our thanks again for Special Representative Salamé, Deputy Special Representative Williams, who joins us in New York today, and the entire UNSMIL and country team on the ground for their work.
Thank you very much.
###
