Libyan PM-designate calls for peaceful handover of power

Tripoli, Aug 25 Fathi Bashagha, the Prime Minister-designate of Libya's parliament-approved government, has called for a peaceful handover of power.

Bashagha called on Prime Minister Abdul-Hamed Dbeibah to "resort to peace and avoid war", reports Xinhua news agency.

In a letter addressed on Wednesday, Bashagha told Dbeibah: "This is a sincere and patriotic call, and we look forward to your highly patriotic response to respect the interest of the country."

But Dbeibah rejected Bashagha's call to hand over power and called the latter to resort to elections "instead of a military coup".

Libya is currently at a political impasse.

The eastern-based House of Representatives, or Parliament, withdrew confidence from Dbeibah's Government of National Unity in Tripoli and voted in March to install a new government led by Bashagha.

Dbeibah rejected the March vote and said he would only transfer power to an elected government.

On Tuesday, the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) expressed concern about the military mobilization and increasing tension in Libya.

"The UN Support Mission in Libya is following with deep concern the ongoing mobilization of forces and threats to resort to force to resolve legitimacy claims in Libya," UNSMIL said in a statement.

The statement urged the Libyan parties to resort to elections to resolve issues.

"The Mission calls for immediate de-escalation and reiterates that the use of force by any party is not acceptable and will not lead to an outcome that secures recognition by the international community," UNSMIL said.

The oil-rich North African country has been in turmoil since the fall of the late leader Muammar Gaddafi's government in 2011

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