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Peace and Security
Remarks at Press Conference T r i po li, 2 November 2011
I
t is a great honour for me to be visiting at this historic time in Libya – a liberated and new Libya, together with the President of the General Assembly of the United Nations. We are here together to send our strong support and admiration and respect for all your heroic struggles to achieve democracy and freedom. I salute the brave people of Libya. You have paid a heavy price for freedom. To the families of those who died in liberating your country, please accept my deepest condolences and sympathy. To the many thousand people who have been wounded, I wish you all a speedy recovery and happiness. Your injuries are a testament to your courage and determination. I have just had a good and very productive meeting with Chairman Jalil of the National Transitional Council and the new Prime Minister, Abdulrahim el-Keib. This meeting, together with the two leaders and all the members of the National Transitional Council was very productive and useful for us to know how we can, how the United Nations can help the Libyan people in overcoming all the challenges lying ahead after this liberation. All expressed a clear commitment to building a democratic Libya, grounded in respect for human rights and the dignity of every woman, man and child. The new Libya aspires to be a nation free from fear, free from injustice and free from the oppression of the past. The United Nations will be your partner in turning those hopes to reality.
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The new Libya aspires to be a nation free from fear, free from injustice and free from the oppression of the past. The United Nations will be your partner in turning those hopes to reality.
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The path to democracy is not easy. Building a state with effective and accountable institutions takes time. But the Libyan people have shown that they have the skills, resources, determination and will to rise to these challenges. In my remarks to the National Transitional Council, I said frankly that there is no magic formula, no one size that fits all. But there is at least one common denominator in any solid democracy - that is inclusiveness and dialogue. As Libya moves forward, it is critical that you find consensus on major issues, that you remain united. That, in turn, will require a great deal of pragmatism and compromise, especially during this very important initial phase.