The French newspaper “Liberation” considered that the resignation of the United Nations envoy to Libya, Ghassan Salama, reflects the failure of the Berlin initiative, in light of the stalled negotiations between the Libyans, the interruption of oil exports, and the failure to reach a permanent ceasefire.
Liberation continued that the failure of Ghassan Salama in his last attempt at the Berlin conference forced him to submit his resignation, citing that his health no longer allowed him to be exposed to such pressure.
The Libyan specialist, Rehanon Smith, told the newspaper that Salama made an effort that his predecessors had not done, and likened Salama’s work to conducting neurosurgery with two handcuffed hands, explaining that stifling international intervention made the safety mission impossible.
Smith added that confidence in the United Nations in general, and Salama in particular, declined with the deterioration of the situation on the ground, despite Salama’s efforts to involve all parties in the negotiations, according to the “Liberation” report.
It is worth noting that the UN envoy to Libya, Ghassan Salama, presented, on Monday, a request to the Secretary-General of the United Nations to relieve him of his post which he had held since 2017.