Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effect of the situation in Libya on UK-Libyan relations; and if he will make a statement.

The UK remains deeply concerned about the ongoing violence in Libya. We, together with our international partners, continue to support the people of Libya. The UK’s commitment to Libya is reflected by the Prime Minister’s appointment of UK Special Envoy Jonathan Powell. The Envoy is working with key Libyan interlocutors and international partners to support UN efforts led by Special Representative of the UN Secretary General (SRSG), Bernardino Leon, to facilitate fully inclusive dialogue to reach a lasting political agreement. I recently met the Libyan Foreign Minister Mohammed Al-Dayre, on my visit to Cairo 12 - 15 January. I said the UK was supportive of the Geneva talks hosted by UN SRSG Leon and encouraged full participation.