Members of the European Parliament Rue Wiertz 60 B-1047 Brussels Belgium

Mr Bernardino Leon Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of Mission United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) Tripoli

Libya

16th April 2015

Subject: Call for measures to prevent loss of life at the Libyan coast to be included in ongoing peace talks between Libyan parties.

Mr. Leon,

We contact you in your capacity as Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of Mission of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya to highlight a cause of grave concern to us at the European Parliament.

As you are undoubtedly aware the ongoing migration crisis in the Mediterranean has reached a new low over the last few days. In less than a week, Europe has witnessed two shocking tragedies inovlving around 1,000 migrants who have lost their lives as two boats capsized off the Libyan coast.

It is clear that the instability in Libya is encouraging persons, temporarily residing in the region, waiting for the opportunity to flee to Europe, to take unprecedented risks. Furthermore, it is also clear that people traffickers are becoming more daring. This is evidenced by the new practices put into action by these criminal groups who are now boarding a larger amount of individuals on small boats which cannot hold such numbers. The good weather and the approaching summer months will make this situation even worse.

Whilst congratulating you and your collaborators for your dedication towards the resolution of the Libyan conflict and whilst fully acknowledging that it has been a tough struggle we want to highlight these issues in the hope that you will take on our cause.

The recently published pictures of persons washing up on Libya's shores, including children as young as 2 years old should be more than a wake-up call. Our own messages of grief and compassion will lead to nothing if not accompanied by real action. We should be taking immediate action to stop further loss of life, yet as we write this letter more daughters, sons, mothers and fathers are boarding the boats that may lead them to their death.

That is why we urge you to highlight this terrible situation in the current Libyan Peace talks, in order to ensure that combatting human trafficking and reducing the loss of life on Libya's borders, and beyond are put at the forefront of these talks. The loss of life in the Mediterranean is not simply an EU problem, it is a problem for the Arab States too and we must work together with Libya to ensure no more men, women and children's lives perish on the periphery of Europe and Libya's shores.

We are urging for action to confront the situation at the Libyan coasts, with the aid of the UN and the EU. That is why we ask that this becomes a specified action point in the ongoing discussions and for this aspect to be included specifically in the eventual final accord between the different parties in Libya. We believe that this simple diplomatic action can help pave the way for a real final solution to this Mediterranean and European tragedy.

We believe that this can be done through the facilitation of UNSMIL, led by your good self. While acknowledging all the efforts done by UNSMIL and fully supporting this approach we are aware that giving Libya, the Libyans and all those living in the country the stability they deserve, will take its time.

However, as these talks develop we are heading towards another summer of horror with thousands ending up dead in our Mediterranean Sea since no authority will be able to exert the needed control on human traffickers at the Libyan coasts.

In view of this, we are writing to you as the head of the UNSMIL mission to consider our suggestion at your earliest possible opportunity also keeping in mind that using the current Morocco talks to present this point would be ideal.

Hence Signed,

Miriam Dalli Marlene Mizzi Clare Moody Ivo Vajgl Pier Antonio Panzeri Mercedes Bresso Kyrkos Miltos Seb Dance Renato Soru Michela Giuffrida Gesine Meissner Juan Carlos Girauta Ilhan Kyuchyuk Javier Lopez Eva Khaili Izaskun Bilbao Barandica Jutta Steinruck Peter Niedermuller Christine Revaut d'Allonnes Bonnefoy Angelika Mlinar Maria Arena Marju Lauristin Pavel Telička Mary Honeyball Ivo Belet Elena Gentile Ivan Jakovcic Igor Šoltes Knut Fleckenstein Kateřina Konečná Catherine Bearder Georgi Pirinski Hilde Vautmans Olga Sehnalová Mark Demesmaeker Elena Valenciano Anneliese Dodds Javier Nart Glenis Willmott Jude Kirton Darling Neoklis Sylikiotis Keith Taylor Theresa Griffin Luigi Morgano Victor Negrescu Cláudia Monteiro de Aguiar Franc Bogovic Nathalie Griesbeck Lucy Anderson Afzal Khan Rachida Dati Massimo Paolucci Renata Briano Demetris Papadakis Javor Benedek Damian Draghici

______Members of the European Parliament