国际英语新闻:Arab League welcomes Libyan parties' agreement on unifying institutions, sovereign position

CAIRO, Jan. 24 (Xinhua) -- The Arab League (AL) welcomed on Sunday the understandings reached by the two parties of the conflict in Libya on unifying national institutions and sovereign positions.

Two delegations from the High Council of State of Libya and the Libyan House of Representatives concluded on Saturday two-day talks in the Moroccan city Bouznika, agreeing to form small working groups to take procedural steps concerning the occupants of the positions of sovereignty.

Both sides also agreed that the work groups will design nomination applications, invite candidates, ensure that nominations conform to the established criteria and conditions, and receive nomination forms and resumes of candidates from January 26 to February 2.

The sovereign positions are the heads and deputy heads of the Central Bank of Libya, Administrative Control Authority, Audit Bureau, Anti-Corruption Commission, and High Electoral Commission.

The AL welcomes the understandings reached by the two rivals in the Libyan conflict, the AL General Secretariat said in a statement, adding that the Arab group supports all national efforts aimed at reaching an integrated political settlement of the Libyan crisis.

The agreement in Bouznika came a few days after the Constitutional Committee comprising Libya's eastern-based House of Representatives and the Tripoli-based High Council of State agreed to hold a constitutional referendum before the general elections scheduled to be held on Dec. 24.

During the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum held on Nov. 7-15, 2020 in Tunisia's capital Tunis, 75 Libyans representing the social and political spectrum of the Libyan society discussed a political roadmap to achieve lasting peace in war-torn Libya and agreed to hold general elections in the country on Dec. 24, 2021.

Libya has been locked in a civil war since the ouster and killing of former leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. The situation escalated in 2014, splitting power between two rival governments: the UN-backed Government of National Accord based in the capital Tripoli and another in the northeastern city of Tobruk allied with the eastern-based military commander Khalifa Haftar.