A top-level delegation from the House of Representatives is to leave for Washington next week in a bid is to convince the US that it should be supporting the HoR as Libya’s democratically-elected legislature.
Talks are to take place, the week after next, with members of the US Congress as well as officials in the Obama administration. These will concentrate on the situation in Libya, in particular on defence, Libyan national security and the fight against terrorism. They will also take in the latest developments in the UN-brokered dialogue process as well as Libyan-American cooperation in various fields.
The trip, organised by the Libyan embassy in Washington, is an attempt to build new bridges. The HoR, as well as the Libyan government, has shown increasing anger of late over the belief that the US (and the UK) has taken an ambiguous line on its legitimacy, treating it and the continuing General National Congress in Tripoli as equivalents.
Those talking part are:
- The chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Idris Abdullah Al-Maghrabi (Brega);
- The chairman of the Defence and National Security Committee: Fathallah Hussein Saiti (Ajdabiya);
- The chairman of Energy & Natural Resources Committee: Aisa Al-Araibi (Benghazi);
- The chairman of the Finance Committee: Omar Tantoush (Maya);
- A member of the Committee on Economy and Investment: Tariq Al-Ashtar (Abu Sleem);
- A member of the Dialogue delegation: Abubakr Baira (Benghazi); and
- A member of the Anti-Terrorism Committee: Abdulnabi Abdulmuali (Zawia).
Initially it was suggested that the team would also have a member apiece from the HoR’s Foreign Affairs, National Security and Energy committees but the idea was dropped.
The delegation will include two members from the HoR’s media office and a member of its protocol department.
By Libya Herald reporter.
