United Nations, Dec 21 (IANS): The UN Security Council has expressed deep concern over the persistent political deadlock in Libya nearly one year after elections scheduled for December 24, 2021, failed to materialise, and more than two years after the agreement of the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum roadmap.

In a press statement on Tuesday, the members of the Security Council expressed their disappointment at the lack of progress, which continues to risk the achievement of stability and the unity of the country, Xinhua news agency reported.

They called on all Libyan parties and key stakeholders to engage in dialogue with Abdoulaye Bathily, the UN Secretary-General's special representative and Head of the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), and with each other constructively in a spirit of compromise and consensus.

They called on all actors to preserve the prevailing calm on the ground and to come together under UN auspices to agree swiftly on a path forward, to finalise the political settlement in order to conduct free, fair, transparent and inclusive national presidential and parliamentary elections as soon as possible.

The council members reiterated their strong support for the people of Libya to determine who governs them through elections and to ensure this legitimate demand is heard through the political process.

They underlined the importance of an inclusive, comprehensive national dialogue and reconciliation process based on the principles of transitional justice.

They called on all parties to uphold the October 23, 2020, ceasefire agreement and reiterated their call on all parties to accelerate full implementation of its provisions.

They called on the international community to fully support UNSMIL and the special representative in their consultations with different Libyan stakeholders and international partners.