EU warns anyone judged to be delaying Libya elections will risk sanctions

Message comes ahead of major UN meeting of foreign ministers in Berlin on Wednesday

The EU has warned that anyone judged to be delaying elections in Libya beyond the planned date of 24 December will be at risk of sanctions, ahead of a major meeting of foreign ministers intended to tighten the screw on those obstructing either elections or the withdrawal of foreign forces from the country.

The meeting in Berlin will set our proposals for a coordinated and sequential withdrawal of foreign forces, principally Russian and Turkish, and again call for elections at the end of the year. Previous deadlines for the withdrawal of foreign forces have been ignored.